Remembrance
by RegulusBlackIsAHero
Summary: As a child, Regulus Black was the rebel. It all changed one night. The night before Sirius goes to Hogwarts, his father obliviates Regulus. When Sirius returns, Regulus is firmly on his parents' side. With the help from a muggleborn neighbor, will he be able to get Regulus back onto their side? And what will Voldemort do when he learns Regulus is a Parselmouth? Child Abuse
1. The Playground

It was early evening, maybe five o'clock. Mother thought he felt ill, and Reggie was helping him out. Reggie had asked him to pretend. Mother knew if Reggie said it, then it wasn't true, and he was faking for one reason or another. Still, she would not be pleased. Reggie said he'd needed to tell him something. Something important. Mother _could not_ overhear it, he'd stressed. Surprised, Sirius had only nodded as his brother created a plan for him to pretend to be sick. So now, here he was, waiting for Reggie in his room. As if the thought of him was a summons, Regulus, his younger brother, emerged from the shadows of the hallway and entered his room.

"Hey, Siri," he greeted quietly. Sirius smiled at his brother. Perhaps Reggie wanted to say goodbye in private? After all, it was August 31th, and he was starting at Hogwarts on the first. Besides, Reggie had always wanted to be defiant. This was just like something he'd do, and something that, once again, he'd dragged Sirius in head-first. Not that he didn't enjoy it, really, but Reggie was always being punished for things like that.

"Hi, Reggie," he answered, matching his brother's tone. Reggie fidgeted slightly, as if unsure of what he wanted to say. Finally, he spoke,

"Siri, d'you know how mother always tells us that Blood is important?" Sirius nodded quickly. Mother was always talking about Blood. Dirty Blood, not shaming their Blood… Reggie took a deep breath and said,

"Do you really believe her?" Surprised, Sirius could only stare at his brother for a moment. Blood isn't important? How could that possibly be true?

"But – but mother wouldn't lie to us!" he protested.

"_Shh!"_ Reggie reprimanded quickly, "I'm not saying she lied, just… I don't think she's right." Sirius looked appalled at the very idea. He opened his mouth to say something, but Reggie spoke before he could,

"Do you remember when we snuck out to that muggle playground?" Sirius thought for a moment. Oh yes, he remembered. It had been nearly a year ago. Reggie had convinced him to leave the house and walk for a few blocks to find this muggle play-yard. After only a second's hesitation, he agreed. Then they had left.

"Yeah," he answered. Reggie nodded and plowed on ahead,

"They were fun to play with, and they believed in magic! Mother always said that they're like animals. That can't be right! Besides, remember how that one cut his leg on the swings?" Sirius nodded. He remembered that. It had been scary. The other kids just stood there and watched as the red blood rolled down his leg. Then one of the adults snapped into action, and they had watched him be healed the muggle way. Reggie continued to speak,

"Mother said they have dirty blood, but it looked just like ours!" Sirius thought for a moment, and then exclaimed,

"You're right!" Reggie immediately hushed him.

"I'm friends with him, and he asked me if I wanted to meet him tonight. He said that it's okay if he stays up late. His muggle school doesn't go tomorrow. Do you want to come?" Sirius thought about it for a moment. Those kids had been nice and fun to play with. Besides, mother would never know, right? Finally, Sirius nodded, saying,

"Sure!" Reggie's eyes sparkled with light, as they always did when he was disobeying mother. You'd think that that was what he lived for. Well, it certainly made life interesting. Reggie led the way downstairs, skillfully avoiding mother with the ease of a lot of practice. For a moment, Sirius wondered how long Reggie had been doing this. Probably for a long time, and it didn't surprise Sirius that he'd never been caught.

They stepped outside into the hot august air. Reggie smiled with delight as they neared his friend's house; it was only one or two houses away. Together, they walked up the steps and knocked on the door. A man opened it. He had a kind smile, and light brown hair that was just beginning to thin in the middle.

"Hi, Regulus!" he greeted. "And who is this?" Reggie smiled back and said politely,

"This is my brother, Sirius. He wanted to meet Alex." The muggle boy's father nodded and beckoned them inside. Alex was waiting for them. He was in a moderate-sized room. In it was a strange box. Sirius opened his mouth to ask what it was, but Reggie elbowed him. The boy, Alex, exclaimed,

"Hey, Reggie!" Reggie smiled back and said,

"Hi, Alex! This is my brother, Sirius."

"Hi!" Alex greeted happily, not seeming to notice his slight discomfort.

"Hi," Sirius said, trying to sound as cheerful and calm as Reggie did. It was very clear that this wasn't Reggie's first visit… or his second… or his third… In fact, it seemed as if Reggie had been here a lot of times.

"So what d-you want to do, Alex?" Reggie asked.

"Um… how about we go to the playground? We haven't gone there in a while."

"Sure!" Reggie agreed swiftly. Sirius felt slightly relieved. There was so much in this house that he didn't understand. Like… like the pictures! They weren't moving! That was so weird!

"I'll go ask my mum!" Alex said. He went racing out of the room, with Reggie hot on his heels. Sirius moved at a slightly slower pace, eyes wide as he looked at the rooms around him. What were all these things? Sirius actually heard voices out of one strange metal box. It was so weird! Sirius walked quickly into the room Reggie and Alex had gone into. Alex's mother was in there. She had short, dark hair and dark brown eyes. Sirius felt slightly wary of her. Would she yell at them for asking? Alex was in the middle of asking her.

"…Go to the playground?" Sirius heard Alex ask.

"Sure," his mother said with a laugh at their excitement. "I'll come with you." They went to the playground, and Sirius could feel himself becoming more comfortable. Maybe Reggie was right. Alex was just like them.

After about thirty minutes at the playground, they were all on the very top of the playground. To both Sirius' and Reggie's horror, Alex slipped and began to fall.

"Alex!" his mother cried, eyes wide as he seemed to hang in the air for a second. Actually, he was hanging in the air for more than a moment. In fact, he wasn't falling at all. Sirius and Reggie looked at each other in shock.

"_It couldn't be…"_ Sirius breathed. At the exact same time, Reggie muttered,

"_Did you do that?"_ Wordlessly, Sirius shook his head. No, he hadn't. He hadn't preformed accidental magic since the day he had gotten his wand. Alex's mother was staring at him in shock as he floated gently to the ground.

"What – what?" his mother said. Reggie grinned as Alex turned his dazed face towards them.

"What just happened!" he cried out, shocked.

"_I knew it!_ I knew it!" Reggie said almost bouncing with ecstasy.

"What did you know, Regulus?" Alex's mother questioned slowly.

"You're magical!" Reggie cried. Alex's mother looked shocked for a moment, but then seemed to think of it as a childish fantasy. She laughed awkwardly. Reggie seemed to understand her dilemma,

"No! I'm being serious! That's why Alex can never some over our house! We're magical, too!" Alex's mother still seemed extremely skeptical.

"_Well…"_ she said. Normally, she would have obviously denied that magic existed, but her own kid had just floated.

"No, really! Watch this!" Reggie slid to the ground, Sirius following and walked over to the grass. Then he began hissing. To all three of his audience's shock, a small green snake slithered out of the grass. _No…_ Reggie was a –a Parselmouth? How? Why? The green snake slithered over to Alex's mother, who jumped at the sight of it. To her credit, she didn't scream. Reggie hissed at the snake, and it hissed back.

"He says that you're pretty," he told Alex's mum. She sat down on the bench quickly, seeming slightly faint. "Look! He's going to wave!" Sure enough, the snake waved its tail at them. Alex's mum seemed disbelieving and shocked, but she also was starting to think Reggie was right. Voice weak as the snake slithered away, she asked Sirius,

"Are you magic, too?" Sirius grinned and said,

"Yeah, I'm a wizard. I'm starting my first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry tomorrow!" Alex's mum seemed like she thought she was going crazy.

"There – there's a school for… wizards?" Reggie nodded.

"I'm going next year, and Alex will be, too!"

"_R – really?"_ Alex said, eyes wide.

"Yeah! It's going to be so much fun!" Suddenly, there was a harsh cry.

"_Regulus!"_ He froze and stiffened.

"_Sirius!"_ Sirius gulped loudly. Mother couldn't be there! Reggie was never caught! How – why did she notice?

"Who's that?" Alex questioned.

"That – that's my mother," Sirius rasped, voice filled with nervousness. Alex's mother looked shocked at their reaction.

"_Why is she…"_ Alex trailed off, unable to phrase the question he wanted to ask. Reggie spoke, thinking about each word carefully,

"Mother is very… old-fashioned. She doesn't like muggles – non-magical people – very much… She also didn't know that we left the house…" Alex's mother looked scandalized.

"Boys! You should've told her!" Both Sirius and Regulus flinched back at her scolding tone. With mother, a tone like that was always followed by a fierce slap. Alex's mother's eyes widened as she processed their reaction.

"Does – does she hit you?" Both Sirius and Regulus stared at her with a bit of surprise.

"Yeah, but all the old families do. There's nothing wrong with that." Reggie seemed to notice the figure coming closer. It was their mother. She wore a long black robe and her hair was long and –ahem- witch-like.

"We need to go," Reggie said, "We'll send you a letter, later." Then both boys turned and raced back towards their mother, hoping that she hadn't seen their playmate.

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**Hi everyone. This popped in my head as a one-shot, and then promptly began to grow into a multi-chapter. I will not be focusing on this fic, so updates will be pretty slow. However, I will not abandon it. Expect an update around once a month.**

**Please read and review**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I am not J.K. Rowling. **


	2. The Punishment

Alex's mother stood stiffly in the park. _Oh god… Witches… Wizards… Child abuse…_ Could this day get any stranger? She had been curious why Regulus' mother allowed him to walk over by himself. Now she understood. _Their mother didn't know._ What had Regulus said? His mother hates non-magical people? Why? Were all wizards like that? Did she just drink too much last night? No, _what was she thinking? _There wasn't any alcohol in the house. She personally had always found the taste disgusting. Thinking back, Alex's mother could remember times where Reggie had had bruises on his arms. There had been once where he had had a bruise on his cheek. When she asked about it, he'd just brushed her off, saying it was nothing. Then he had turned to make the bruise fall into the shadows. He had been good at that, like he had a lot of practice. It all made a terrible amount of sense. Many parents abused their children, but that didn't make it right. She couldn't _imagine_ hurting Alex like that. Regulus had seemed star-struck at their house. He didn't seem to know how to work anything, or what it had been called. She'd thought it was strange, but she had accepted the fact that Reggie had grown up in an old-fashioned family. It had been possible that Reggie had never seen a television or a radio. Sometimes, of course, she was slightly confused by his lack of knowledge or by certain things that were done differently. All of it added up to say that Reggie and – what was his brother's name? Sirius? – had grown up in a different world. Even their mother had been dressed strangely. What had she been wearing? A black dress?

"Come on, Alex," she said, "Let's go home."

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Once back at home, Sirius' mother shook with anger. Truthfully, it was mostly directed at Regulus, but Sirius couldn't help but be scared. Who wouldn't be? His mother turned towards him and said,

"Go to your room. _Now_." Sending an apologetic glance at Reggie, Sirius left the room. He knew why he was not being punished. It was quite obvious that his mother wanted to. However, he had to go to Hogwarts the next day. He could not have any bruises that were visible, nor did his mother trust him to not show anyone. Reggie stood in front of his mother, back straight, prideful. He looked – he looked like a Black. Arrogant, yes, but with an edge to him somehow. Something in his appearance said, don't mess with me. He was terrified, but it was nothing he had not felt before. As Sirius walked up the stairs, he heard the resolute crack of a slap. _Ouch_. He winced on behalf of his brother. That had been a bad one. Suddenly, he froze on the steps, one foot expended in midair. A voice, which admittedly sounded a lot like Regulus, was telling him to go back downstairs and check on his brother. He agreed with it. So, he spun around and slowly stepped back into the hallway. _Quiet_… _Quiet_… Silence was key, or at least it was according to Reggie. Sirius could tell that Reggie had snuck out many times before this night. The key question was did mother know, too? Sirius hoped not. Merlin, he hoped not. The punishment would be bad enough without her knowing that.

Outside the door, the first thing Sirius saw was that Regulus was on the ground. Mother stood threateningly above him. Reggie had a hand on his cheek, and Sirius could see how red Reggie's pale skin was. It was already beginning to bruise. Mother had hit him hard. Sirius watched as his mother hissed threateningly,

"How _dare_ you sneak out of this house? How dare you be in the company of _muggles_! You – you _Bloodtraitor_!" Reggie, fire burning in his eyes, rose to his feet.

"And proud of it," he spat back at her. "I don't believe in what you say, mother. You're _wrong_." Stiffening with complete surprise as Reg said that to her face, Mother cried out,

"_Orion!_ Come here!" Sirius felt a shiver of fear for his brother. His mother may slap them, but when she called their father… That was when they were _really_… punished. It had only happened to Sirius once or twice. Reggie had had it happen many times, but still, even he couldn't get rid of the fear in his gaze. It was scary, Sirius thought, to see Reggie frightened. Ever since he could remember, Reggie had been the brave one. He was the one that would make a joke and play it on Bella or Cissy. He was the one who took his punishment without flinching. Even though he was younger than Sirius, Reggie had always seemed like the one who could handle worse things in his life.

"What did he do now?" Sirius' father growled, staring at Regulus with a bit of disgust. Oh yes, the Black family was not proud of their second born. Usually, a second son in the family would be married off to a girl with a good ancestry. The second son would be a pawn, not useful for anything other than making the Black family more powerful. _Breeding stock._ Reggie found it disgusting, frankly, and Reg was not one to do something he didn't want to. One thing was for sure. Sirius could _not_ see that happening to Regulus.

"He snuck out of the house to visit a muggle, and he brought Sirius with him!" It was strange, really, that his parents blamed their younger son for dragging their older son into things. Unfortunately, it was quite true. Sirius had always admired Reggie's ability to laugh at danger, admired how brave Reggie was. Sirius' father did not find said bravery very admirable. Instead, he grabbed Regulus' arm tightly, pulling him closer. Sirius had to respect how Reggie didn't flinch. His father, eyes narrowed, mouth a tight line, raised his wand. With a jerky wave, a bit of purple light flew out and hit Regulus. He slumped in father's grasp. Sirius could see a dark red color begin to ooze into Reggie's white shirt. He was bleeding. Reggie scrambled back up to stand on his own, wincing at the cut across his stomach. That was his only reaction to the pain. His face seemed to mock their parents with its impassive gaze. Its meaning was clear: been there, done that, and survived another day. Waving his wand again, Sirius' father watched impassively as Regulus' nose began to bleed. Reggie barely reacted. Suddenly, Sirius realized why Reggie's nose was slightly crooked. His father looked angry at the minimal reaction. He didn't let go of Reggie's shirt. In fact, his father appeared to have just noticed something.

"Why are you in muggle clothes?" he asked with malice. Regulus' eyes narrowed as he said,

"Because they make me look more handsome." Sirius winced. It was not a good idea to be cheeky with their father. In the end, it only made it worse. Reggie's tone could only be taken as audacious and sarcastic. Sirius already knew what was coming was bad. He never expected his father to yell the unforgivable spell. _Never_. Nothing Reggie had done was _that_ bad. Sure enough, however, his father shouted,

"Crucio!" Sirius gasped with disbelief. Then he clamped a hand over his mouth so quickly it made a slapping sound. For a moment, he felt a bit of guilty relief that no one had heard him. His parents would have certainly heard him, but for the fact that Regulus' screams covered it up. Sirius stared at the grotesque sight of Reggie writhing with pain, clawing at himself as he screamed so, _so loudly…_ Sirius had _never_ heard Reggie scream before. It scared – _no, terrified_ – him to listen to it, but he couldn't turn away. He hated to see the look in Regulus' eyes, the expression that was crazed with pain and fear. They were the eyes of a wild animal. In that long, drawn-out moment of bitter pain – and so, so much more – a person was reduced to using animal-like instincts. Reggie seemed to choke on the thick pain as he screamed. Finally, the spell ended, leaving Regulus gasping for breath on the floor. Sirius let out a hardly audible squeak. Reggie's eyes focused on him. Still trembling, he discretely nodded his head towards the stairs. The message was clear. You shouldn't have to see this. Without another thought, Sirius obeyed. Racing up the stairs as quickly yet silently as possible, Sirius was in his room by the time another shriek was heard. He was trembling harshly. _ Reggie didn't deserve that… _Then there was silence.

Sirius felt cold relief. They had stopped. Wide-eyed, Sirius stared at the ceiling. Reggie… Was he okay? It was a long time to wait, but Sirius wouldn't – couldn't – fall asleep until he heard Reggie climb up the stairs, as per usual after a punishment. After a long time, Sirius' emotionally and physically exhausted body began to tire. He closed his eyes both unwillingly and unwittingly. Just before he slipped away into sleep, he heard a voice. It was his father,

"No son of mine will be a bloodtraitor! _Obliviate!"_

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**Hey guys! I know I said that I'd be updating this slowly but… This was flowing and my other fics weren't. I know this chapter is a bit short, but it's not too bad… Also, I really **_**had**_** to use that cliffhanger at the end…**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter! My basement flooded last year and all the legal documents were lost… (No, really, my basement did really flood last year when my family was on vacation. 90,000 gallons all on the floor when we got back. My brother's guitar was **_**floating**_**…)**

**I'm not going to lie, but I'm a bit disappointed that this only got two reviews ****. I'll keep writing it, but I'd appreciate a bit more support (This just made a saying pop into my head: Friends are like bras: they support you and are always close to your heart.) Sorry, I'm really tired and slightly slap-happy at the moment.**

**Anyway, please review! I'm going out of my comfort zone with this fic. It's the first time I've really done any writing with young-ish children in it. Tell me how I did.**

**Also, take my poll. It's on if I should keep answering reviews at the bottoms of my chapters. **

**So far:**

**Yes: 3**

**No: 2**

**Only the most frequent questions: 1**

**Mrs. Regulus Arcturus Black : Hey, it won't be cliché; I can tell you that. Reggie will certainly change, and so will Sirius. Will Reggie's change be permanent…?**

**MissSadieKane : Thanks! I'm always trying to kill off clichés. I decided to do something I'd never seen before at all. Their parents weren't bad to Sirius, but Reggie definitely took a harsh punishment. With the child abuse, I did a bit of research. Reggie was born in 1961, and Sirius was born in either 1960 or 1959. Child abuse was mentioned for the first time in the 1960s. It was much more common back then. The problems were publicized in the 1970s (at least in America. I'm not sure about England…) This fic takes place in 1971. **


	3. The Platform

The next morning, Sirius woke up with a mix of anticipation and dread flying through him. He was going to Hogwarts. _HOGWARTS_! Merlin, he couldn't wait! Even though he'd miss Reggie – _wait, Reggie_. Was he alright? What had happened? Sirius tried to remember the spell that his father had thrown at Reggie, but to his horror, he couldn't. It started with an O; that he _could_ remember. The rest, however… Was it dangerous? Silently, Sirius scoffed. Of course it was dangerous! His father had used it to punish Reggie! When weren't his spells dangerous? Suddenly, it occurred to Sirius that the punishment the night before was much, much worse than usual. His father had used an unforgivable on Reggie. _Crucio_. And – and Reggie had _screamed_. For as long as he could remember, Reggie had never screamed as he had been punished. _Never_. He always faced them, brave, calm, eyes staring at their father with no fear. Reggie was brave to do that.

"Sirius!" his mother called suddenly. "Come down here!" Immediately, he stood up and began throwing his clothes on and getting ready. Wand? Check. Robes? Check. Trunk? Check. Owl? Check. Then he bounded downstairs. At the bottom, his mother scolded him.

"Don't run down the stairs! You're the heir to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black! Act like it!" Sirius nodded, not really hearing a word of it. Reggie wasn't down there. Merlin, _Reggie_ wasn't down there. He had always been the first up. _Always_. He wasn't one to sulk. If he wasn't down here; then that said he was too injured to make it down the stairs or their parents had locked him in his room again. They had done it before. It had been terrible every time. The suspense in waiting was… just cruel. Sirius guessed that if he said one thing that Reggie had to be afraid of, then it was small spaces. No, scratch that. Reggie was afraid of small spaces he was _trapped_ in. Sirius could remember the heavy, hyperventilating breaths. Afterwards, he'd been young enough to ask Reggie why he was so scared of it. For, at that point, he'd never seen his younger brother seem so shaken. Reggie said that the walls close in on him; that they always come closer. Of course, this punishment was extremely popular with their parents due to the fact that he reacted to it. After the years, however, even his fear of that seemed to fade. It was still there, only weaker, but their parents began having to turn to violence more and more. Unknowing of her heir's pensive thoughts, Sirius' mother was eating breakfast. His father had already eaten, alone, as usual. Finally, Sirius could hold it in no longer.

"Where's Reggie?" he blurted out suddenly. His mother sneered at him, distaste in her eyes.

"He's feeling slightly… ill and isn't well enough to come with us today." Sirius felt his eyes widen. For Reggie not to come and see him off… This was serious. More serious than he'd imagined, at least.

"Will he be okay?" Sirius asked desperately. His mother smiled cruelly, sending shivers up Sirius' back.

"I think he'll be a lot better now." Sirius quelled his urge to jump up and began shaking his mother, demanding to know what she meant. His mother prophesized a change in Reggie? What had they done to him? They had had to have done something! Something bad – no, terrible. If it was bad enough to break Reggie's spirit… Merlin, it would have been horrible. Sirius knew his mother wouldn't make a claim like that unless she was sure. Something had been done to Reggie, and whatever it was, it was worse than any other punishment than he ever received.

After a bit of silence and a good breakfast, Sirius' mother stood.

"Get your trunk. We're leaving," she ordered. Not wanting to antagonize his mother, Sirius stood and quickly ran up the stairs. Pausing in front of Reggie's room, he called out,

"Reggie?" There was no answer. Worried, Sirius tried the door knob. It was locked, just like he expected. Reggie was in there, obviously. Yet, he either was too hurt or not even awake to answer. If he wasn't awake, then it wasn't a natural sleep. Could it really have been that bad?

Clenching his eyes shut as if in physical pain, Sirius shook his head roughly before walking past the room and into his. Then he grabbed his trunk quickly and ran out, rushing down the stairs. Well, at least he tried to rush. His trunk was too heavy for him to go fast. In fact, Sirius thought for a second that he'd fall, but he was able to regain his balance quickly. His owl, Ary, was not impressed by the near slip and expressed her anger with a loud hoot. His mother was waiting for him in their Hallway. From there, she would use side-along apparation to take him to the Platform. Sirius would've preferred floo, but there was no way he'd be able to hold onto his trunk.

Without preamble, his mother held out her arm. Sirius grasped it, and suddenly, he was feeling the sickening reaction unique to apparation. When he landed at the Platform, Sirius let go of his trunk, causing it to bang heavily and more than a few heads to turn. Then he doubled over trying to keep his breakfast in. His mother hissed, too quiet for anyone but Sirius to hear,

"_Get up!"_ Sirius straightened shakily, still struggling to not vomit. His mother was not sympathetic. Walking at a brisk pace, she plowed forward. She bumped into someone, and when she saw they were wearing muggle clothes, she sneered and made a show of looking at them in disgust. Sirius followed behind, sending the man an apologetic glance and feeling thoroughly disgusted at her behavior. This was what Reggie always meant. His mother – and father, had he been there – both treated nice people as trash, for no valid reason. Sirius had never realized how horrible it really was. How did Reggie understand that before he did? Now, she expected Sirius – no, both her sons – to grow up in her image. According to her, she was bringing honour to the Black family. Sirius personally thought the family would look much better if they weren't so inbred and nasty to all but a select few (most of whom were relatives.) As soon as his mother stopped, she played the proud, pureblood parent role that Sirius was sure she had had to practice. There was no way the slight hint of tears in her eyes could be real... Mother didn't care enough for Sirius to cry over him as he left. No, it was all an act. It became clear to Sirius when she hissed quietly,

"Do not bring dishonor to the Black family!" Sirius glared at her, something that she tried to hide from the other people on the platform.

"I'll bring the Black family honour from Gryffindor house." He didn't know why he said it. All in all, it was a bluff. He wasn't Reggie, who was a sure Gryffindor. No, in fact, he didn't know why he said that at all. It wasn't something he'd normally say. Then again, he was in public, so his mother couldn't hurt him. She did, however, stiffen spectacularly

"_You will be Slytherin!_ Or you will no longer be a Black!" Sirius snorted. He knew that was a false threat. They wouldn't dare make Reggie their heir. If anyone was going to be disowned, then it would be him. Still, Sirius couldn't help but think of his mother's certainty that Reggie had changed. It was just a bluff, right? Sirius knew it wasn't; his mother wasn't the type to make a false claim. Then again, she had been in Slytherin herself at school.

"And then who'll be your heir? _Reggie?"_ Sirius was hoping she'd look horrified at the thought. To his horror, she didn't. A crafty, unrecognizable expression crossed her face; it was terrifying. What had she done to Reggie?

"He'd make a better heir than you would." Sirius knew shock had visibly flashed across his face very vividly. His mother smirked.

"Get on the train. You'd better be in Slytherin, Sirius!"

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**Hey guys! How's it going? Sorry this is a bit short, but I wanted to end it there, so…**

**I'm not guilty over how long it took to update. When I started this, I said the updates would be slow. Sorry!**

**Please read and review! I must say that I expected more than I have now. **

**Please vote in my poll! What house should Reggie be in?**

**I'm not sure if you guys heard yet, but I decided to quit answering reviews personally at the bottom of my chapters. **

**Some questions asked:**

_**Is it permanent?**_

**No. Even if Regulus only remembers after drinking the potion in 1979, he will remember.**

_**Why would the Black's abuse their children when their pureblood is so valuable?**_

**In Sirius' case, his parents are grooming him up to be their heir, and he acted like it. So, it says it had only happened once or twice to Sirius because he didn't need it, in their eyes.**

**With Reggie, he always showed signs of being a bloodtraitor. And to Voldemort, Bloodtraitors are just as bad as those with dirty blood. (Ex. Weasley, Prewett, Potter, Longbottom…)**


	4. Sirius at School

Sirius entered the train, his eyes wide with wonder. Pulling his trunk behind him and breathing heavily, he walked until he could find an empty compartment. His mother's words echoed through his head.

"You'd better be in Slytherin, Sirius!"

With them came his thoughts about Reggie. Sirius' mother proposed a change in him. A large change. She said he'd make a better heir than he would.

It was Reggie. Was she insane? Just last night, she and father had been punishing - torturing - him for befriending a muggle. Now they thought that he would uphold the old pureblood prejudice.

Mother was wrong. Completely, utterly wrong. The only way Reggie would be like that would be if they turned back time and changed him when he was little. They could do nothing to him now that would change his views; he was too strong for that.

As Sirius sat there, silent, slightly scared and apprehensive, he almost didn't notice when another boy entered the cabin.

"Who are you?" he asked abruptly, seeing Sirius sitting there, alone. Sirius jumped, his eyes flashing with shock. The black, messy- haired boy seemed amused by his shock.

"I'm James Potter, and you are?" he asked again.

"I'm Sirius Black." Immediately, the boy froze. His expression became cold and angry.

"I'm finding a different compartment," he said, turning as if to leave. Sirius knew why. The Potters had been a light family for generations. The Blacks had been a dark family for centuries. The Potter kid didn't want to talk to him and assumed he was a pureblood fanatic.

"Why?"Sirius questioned with a smirk. Potter looked back at him contemptuously.

"Because you're a Slytherin! That's why!" Sirius felt surprise flash through him. The kid was already judging him for a house he wasn't in and didn't plan on entering.

"I was under the assumption that we hadn't been sorted yet, Potter."

"You're a Black. You'll be in Slytherin. That's the rule. Just like I'm a Potter, so I'll be in Gryffindor." Sirius was reminded unpleasantly of his mother.

You'd better be in Slytherin, Sirius.

Slytherin.

Sirius shook his head, effectively banishing any unwelcome thoughts.

"Rules are made to be broken." He found that he enjoyed making Potter a bit flustered. Perhaps he did have a Slytherin side?

"Those aren't!" James exclaimed vehemently. "You want to be in Slytherin!" Sirius frowned.

You'd better be in Slytherin, Sirius.

Was Potter truly arguing with him about what he wanted?

"No, I don't," Sirius said calmly, swallowing down his emotions as he'd been taught to.

"Are you saying you're a bloodtraitor?" James asked skeptically. He clearly thought it was some sort of trick. Sirius grinned and nodded.

"Yeah. My mother threatened to disown me if I'm not in Slytherin. She won't, though."

"Why wouldn't she?" James asked stupidly. It was clear that he didn't know what to make of Sirius. At this point, Sirius noticed two other kids entering the compartment. They sat on the other side of where Sirius was sitting. James was still standing.

"'Cause that'd make my younger brother -Reggie - the heir. And he's much more of a bloodtraitor than I am."

"Really?" James asked. He - finally - was setting his trunk down and taking a seat.

"Yeah. He was meeting a muggle and playing with him the whole summer! My parents found out yesterday. They were furious." It felt good to talk about Reggie like that. It showed off his bravery. He had to be the same, right? They couldn't force him to change. He'd be himself, just like always.

"Oh," James said. It appeared to Sirius that he had no idea what to say.

"What's your family like?" Sirius asked, hoping to make some conversation as the train started moving.

"Both my parents are aurors," James said, puffing out his chest with pride. Sirius tried to ignore how dumb it made the eleven-year-old look.

"Do you have any siblings?" Sirius asked, still trying desperately to keep the conversation going.

"No. What's your brother like?" Inwardly, Sirius winced. Reggie was one topic he'd been trying to avoid. He opened his mouth to give a couple tales of Reggie's bravery. What he breathed instead shocked them both.

"I don't know."

"What d'you mean?" James questioned. Potter seemed so innocent. It was clear that he hadn't quite made the connection between Sirius not wanting to talk about his family, and how he wanted to not be a Slytherin.

You'd better be in Slytherin, Sirius.

"He got... hurt yesterday. Mother's locked him in his room. I haven't seen him since."

"Hurt? Did your parents call a healer?" James asked. Mutely, Sirius shook his head. He didn't even want to reply to that. It was too far from the truth.

"Well," James said. "I'm sure he's fine." Sirius nodded and was surprised to find that he did believe it. Regulus would be fine; his mother was wrong. Reggie was way too strong to become the perfect pureblood prince that his parents wanted them to be.

With a small smile, Sirius relaxed and his worries left him, allowing him to begin to enjoy James's company.

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"Black, Sirius," the Professor called. She seemed slightly annoyed as she called the name. Sirius remembered her saying he was the head of Gryffindor house. That was probably why. She was preparing for seven years of him being in Slytherin. He'd prove her wrong, though. That he knew.

He could hear the calls of the other children, the whispers.

"Another Black?" He'll be Slytherin for sure!" There were other grumbles coming from the Gryffindor table, too. The Slytherins were calm as always, emotionless, cold. Merlin, Sirius hated them.

You'd better be in Slytherin, Sirius!

He didn't care. He didn't care if he was disowned or not. (He wouldn't be) He'd rather be a Gryffindor.

He clambered up on the stool, and he felt the hat being placed on his head.

"Ah. Another Black. A different Black. You don't wish to be in Slytherin. You'd do well there."

'No!' Sirius thought. 'Not Slytherin!'

"Yesss," the hat breathed thoughtfully. "I can see that you would not be fit for Slytherin. Much too brave, much too caring. You're worried for your brother, are you not?" Sirius nodded, once again becoming nervous about Reggie.

"Will he be alright?" he whispered to the hat, hoping for a response. The hat did not answer, instead calling out,

"GRYFFINDOR!"

All thoughts of Reggie replaced with a sudden happiness, Sirius sprang up from the stool, not noticing the sympathetic glance the hat sent him as he walked to the Gryffindor table.

He was so happy that he never even noticed the glares sent at him from the Slytherins, nor did he notice how the Gryffindor's reactions were late and some didn't clap.

All he knew was that he had done it. He was a Gryffindor! Sirius knew that he would be in the same house as Reggie would be when he got to Hogwarts.

There was no one clapping. Well, almost no one. Dumbledore was clapping, but he did that for every student. All the other teachers were too shocked to do a polite clap.

Another one of the few people clapping was James. He knew how important that had been for Sirius.

The Gryffindor table was silent, not clapping except for s few muggleborns that had never heard of the Black family. They paused and faltered as they noticed no one else was clapping. Then, one prefect, who later introduced himself as Frank Longbottom, began to clap. After a few seconds, the other prefects clapped too, and then most of the table started. Some didn't clap, but that did not matter to the newest Gryffindor.

James, the girl that sat with them on the train, and a few other students joined him in Gryffindor.

After the feast had taken its course, Sirius and the other new Gryffindors were led to the Common Room. Sirius went up to the dorm, and immediately grabbed out some parchment and a quill. Scrawling (to his mother's displeasure, his handwriting was terrible and near impossible to read) a letter to Reggie.

_Reggie,_

I'm a Gryffindor. A Gryffindor! I'm not a slimy-snake-Slytherin! The dorm looks great, and its nothing like mother said it would be. Remember when she told us that the Gryffindors don't even get beds because they are so worthless? The beds here are more comfortable than back at home!

How are you, Reggie? I'm worried. I didn't get to see you before I left. Please, don't get caught doing anything bad. I don't want them to hurt you.

Tell me if you need me to come home for Christmas. I don't really want to, but if you need me to, then I will.

I met this one kid - James Potter. You'd like him. I can't wait to introduce you guys, actually.

_Write back soon!_

_Siri_

P.S. Don't tell mother that I'm in Gryffindor. I'll send her a letter.

Sirius closed the letter. Reggie would likely tease him for sounding so caring, but he didn't care. Reggie had to be safe.

They could kill him. The only reason they hadn't before was because Sirius had always been on the edge of being a bloodtraitor. His parents would think either that Reggie was too big of an influence, or they would think that they had to try harder to convince Reggie to follow the example they set.

Perhaps they would go easier on him because they might need him to be the heir. Sirius doubted it. It was more likely that they would try harder to change him.

Mother thought they already had succeeded. Father had used the cruciatis curse on Reggie. Was that enough to change him? It couldn't have been...

But Sirius couldn't even imagine what that would have felt like. It must have been terrible. No, worse than terrible. The curse was illegal. His father used it on Reggie.

His father... used... Reggie.

The words made no real sense in his mind.

The unforgivable curse used on Reggie. It was known to drive people insane.

It had been used on his brother.

And all he had done was play with a muggle. No, not even a muggle. A wizard that just had two muggles as parents.

Suddenly, Sirius thought of Alex. Reggie had promised to send him a letter. He doubted that their parents would allow Reggie to send any letter. After figuring out that Reggie snuck out so much, Sirius could imagine his parents baring Reggie's window. Grabbing another piece of parchment and one again dipping his quill into the ink, he wrote.

_Alex,_

_I know you probably thought Reggie would be sending this letter, but mother and father have been a bit angry with him. I'm at school. I'll be here until Christmas or maybe even longer. It depends on if Reggie thinks I need to be home. _

_I doubt Reggie will be able to come see you much. Mother and father won't let him. If you do see him, then make sure he's okay and tell me if he's not. _

_Write back soon,_

_Sirius _

_P.S. Just give the letter back to Ary, my owl. Don't worry: he doesn't bite._

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Alex responded a couple of days later, saying that he hadn't seen Reggie. Regulus never responded to his letter. Sirius, of course, had gotten a howler for becoming a Gryffindor. He wondered how his parents had found out; he had forgotten to send that letter.

Reggie wouldn't have done something like that because Sirius had asked him not to. So if Reggie hadn't told them, and if Sirius had not sent that letter, then how did they find out?

Sirius worried about his brother, but after receiving no letters and growing closer to James, Remus, and Peter, Reggie was soon forgotten.

In fact, Sirius never even sent another letter to him that year.

He spent both Christmas and Easter at the Potters. His parents didn't ask for him to come home.

Alex and Sirius continued to write, and Sirius slowly described things about the Wizarding World.

Neither saw Reggie, and neither heard from him.

Sirius truly understood what that meant when he was boarding the train to return home.

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**Hey, guys.** **I'm sorry for not updating this fic for so long. Life is completely crazy. I actually wrote this on an airplane. I apologize for any typos or grammar mistakes. I did edit this; I'm just really tired.**

**So, tell me what you think.  
**

**Personally, I didn't like this chapter. It sounded rushed and didn't flow right.**

**Did Sirius sound too old? I thought he did. **

**Please read and review. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter**

**Thanks to all my reviewers from the last chapter.**


	5. Reuniting With Reggie

Sirius, dragging his heavy trunk behind him, followed James into the compartment. He was going home.

Home. His parents were going to be ridiculously angry. He was a Gryffindor. Sirius had finally realized what his parents would do to him.

Just like what they did to Reggie.

Suddenly, his blood froze. Reggie.

He'd forgotten about his little brother. His brother had been with their parents all year, and he'd never sent a letter. What had they done to him? Reggie hadn't even congratulated him on being in Gryffindor! Where was his brother?

"…excited to go home," Remus said. Sirius looked up at him.

"What?" he said, finally realizing Remus had been talking to him. Remus sighed, rolling his eyes in annoyance.

"I asked if you were excited to go home." Sirius froze. From the corner of his eye, he saw James wince slightly. Sirius bit his lip, his worries flooding his head stronger than ever. After a moment of silence that was dreadfully uncomfortable, Sirius managed to rasp,

"I'm excited to see my brother." Then, James, thankfully, turned the conversation away from his family.

"So, Remus," James asked. "You're probably… er… glad to be able to spend time with your mother." Remus shifted uncomfortably.

"Yeah. She's starting to get better. Though, the disease comes in bursts. We never quite know when it will get worse. I'm lucky Dumbledore let me see her so much this year." Sirius could see that Remus was uncomfortable with the current topic. Merlin, it seemed like none of them could talk about their families.

"That's too bad, mate," Sirius said. "What about you, Peter?"

"I don't know, Sirius," Peter said with a shrug. "I suppose it'll all be the same." Peter, at least, did not seem uncomfortable with the topic, so Sirius pursued it, trying to stop his own thoughts.

"What's it usually like?"

"Oh-" Peter said. He was beginning to look a bit uncomfortable. Sirius frowned. Could none of them talk about their family? "Mum'll be paying more attention to my sister – like usual. Dad won't be around much, but it's okay."

Sirius wished his father wouldn't be around much. Unfortunately, that was all it was. A wish. He had no way for it to come true.

"You have a sister?" James asked. Call it cruel, but Sirius was glad the still-slightly-uncomfortable discussion was not focused on him.

"Yeah. Her name's Paula. We never got along well. What about you and your brother, Sirius?" Damn. He'd really been hoping to avoid the topic of family from being focused on him.

"We've been pretty close," Sirius said with a fake calm. "He should be joining us in Gryffindor next year." He shifted, uncomfortable. Finally, after a short silence, James burst out.

"Okay! We're talking about something else! Who's excited to join the Quidditch Team next year?" Sirius, glad for the change, managed a weak smile.

"Me!" he called in a subdued voice.

"I know I am," James babbled, trying to continue the conversation. "What about you, Rem?"

"I think I'll prefer to keep both feet on the ground," he said with a frown.

"Where's the fun in that?" James cried. "What about you, Peter?"

"I'm with Remus. I fall down the stairs weekly. I'm lucky that I don't break my neck. The last thing I need to do is go hundreds of feet up into the air."

"I agree with you there, Pete," Remus said.

"I don't know, Rem. You might read faster up there," Sirius said with a grin, pushing his thoughts from his mind. Remus snorted.

"I doubt that. You two'll be up there breathing down my neck. If I'm lucky, then I'll get some peace while you two are in the air."

"And who knows?" Peter said with a twinkle in his eyes. "One of them might fall hard enough to knock some sense into themselves."

"Oi-" Sirius began, ready to tell them that he had a lot of sense and intellect.

"I hope not," Remus interrupted. Sirius jumped in the conversation.

"See! Rem thinks we don't need it!"

"That fall would have to be from very high to achieve that. I'd be worried if they'd ever wake up again."

"That would still be an improvement, though," Peter pointed out, not allowing the other two to speak.

"I guess you're right, Pete," Remus concluded thoughtfully. " I knew there was a reason I talked to you. Now, concerning James and Sirius…"

"Hey!" James said. "At least I didn't manage to end up swapping my wand for McGonagall's in Transfiguration."

"I fully intended that to happen!" Sirius declared. "After all, I had to keep Minnie on her toes. Couldn't have her looking too calm up there."

"Of course, Siri," James snickered.

Siri. He had signed Reggie's letter with that.

"You fully intended to get the three weeks of detention."

"It's not my fault that my amazing sense of humour is so advanced that a simpleton like Minnie could never hope to understand it."

"Using big words, Sirius?" Remus asked, raising an eyebrow. "Don't. It doesn't make you sound smarter. Nothing can do that, you know." At the same time, James laughed.

"And an advanced sense of humour that simpletons couldn't understand? Please, Sirius! Let's try a sense of humour that no one sane could understand."

"Oi! You wound me!" Sirius said with a grin. "Besides, what about when you tried to imitate Minnie and turn your desk into a pig? You ended up giving yourself a pig nose! Even McGonagall didn't know how you managed that!"

"At least self-transfiguration is a very hard, advanced skill!" James sniffed, holding his nose in the air mockingly.

"Please!" Sirius laughed. "My brother's done it since he was five to hide the bruises!" The three others froze. Merlin, he didn't just say that. Sirius laughed weakly.

"Yeah… Reggie's so clumsy… What – what about the time Pete fell down three flights of stairs?" he managed to say before anyone commented it. Half-heartedly, Peter frowned.

"I was pushed! James pushed me!" he exclaimed.

"I did not! It was Snivelly for sure!"

"He was in front of me, James," Peter wailed. "I know that for sure; I knocked him down, and we fell together."

"Yeah," Remus said with a small laugh. "We know. I'll never forget the look on your face when you realized you had Snape's hair in your mouth."

"I had to wash it out, twice, and if I think about it, I can still taste the grease!"

"Well, let's just blame it on Sirius and leave it at that," James suggested. Sirius had been staring at the ground, lost in thought.

"Oh, yeah. Sure," he said, not really hearing what they had been saying.

Reggie would be fine. He started to chant that in his head. He'd be fine. Mother couldn't change him. He'd be the same as always. Nothing would change. Nothing. James frowned at Sirius' lack of attention.

"Sirius-" Before he could truly say anything, Sirius interrupted.

"Guys, I'm a bit tired. I think I'll try to sleep for a bit." He leaned his head against the window, watching the world go by.

Sleep was the last thing on his mind.

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"…Sirius. Sirius! We're here!" Someone was shaking him, roughly. blinking open his eyes, he saw black hair staring down at him.

"Go away, James," he muttered.

"I would," James said impatiently. "But I don't think Minnie would like it if you rode back to Hogwarts again!" Sirius finally blinked open his eyes. He was on the train.

The train. He was back in London.

Sirius jumped to his feet, knocking James out of the way. It was likely Reggie wouldn't be with his mother. After all, he was probably being punished for something or other.

"You're welcome, mate," James muttered from behind him, rubbing his head from where it had smacked the window. "Next time I'll just let you sleep."

"More time to sleep," Sirius said, glancing behind him as he grabbed his trunk. "Great."

"I can't win, can I?" James asked.

"Of course not, mate," Sirius answered. "Did Rem and Pete leave already?"

"Yeah," James said with a frown. "Rem refused to wake you up. He said he did it enough over the year, and Pete wasn't brave enough to stay. Y'know, just in case you forgot you couldn't use your wand and began to curse us."

Sirius flashed James a smirk before hustling down the hallway. As he exited the train, he could already see his mother. She was tall – like he remembered, scary – as always, and she had someone smaller standing next to her. They both wore black.

_Reggie._

Ignoring James grumbling behind him, Sirius ran over, knocking both kids and adults out of his way. Regulus stared at the ground, ignoring his brother's approach.

Sirius ran his eyes over his brother. He didn't see any bruises. That was rare; Reggie always had at least one bruise or two.

"Reggie? Are you okay? Why didn't you answer my letter?" Slow, painfully slow, Reggie's eyes rose to meet Sirius's.

The eyes were dark, cold. They looked so unlike Reggie that Sirius had to stare. When he spoke, his voice seemed older, less playful. In fact, his whole body appeared more regal, more, dare he think it, like a Black's.

"Don't call me Reggie, Sirius," he said calmly, coldly. He sent Sirius a small, twisted smile that was so different then what Sirius remembered.

"Wh-" Sirius began to splutter. Turning away, Reggie locked eyes with his brother for one final time.

"And why would I write to a bloodtraitor?"

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**Hey, guys! I know this was quick. Ridiculously quick, really. It seems I underestimated my ability to write a humourous conversation between the Marauders.**

**I love, love, love the cliffhanger I gave this chapter! It makes **_**me **_**want to read more, and I'm writing it. **** Although, I know you guys will not be very happy with it.**

**So, random, strange thing that happened to me today: I got an email from a different writing website saying that someone I followed updated a story. That was normal. Then, at the end, it said, and I quote, "Seriously, stop. You're going to hurt yourself." **

**I'm slightly frightened. Should I be?**

**So, please read and review! And thanks to my old reviewers.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.**


	6. Unable to Believe

"Reggie?" Sirius asked, gaping at him spectacularly.

"Yes?" he asked darkly, not turning to face Sirius.

"Why are you – what happened?" Sirius burst out.

"What are you talking about?" Reggie's voice was cruel. No, actually, he took that back. Reggie's voice wasn't cruel.

It was cold.

There was no emotion in it. Before his voice would drip with anger or happiness.

Now, it seemed so fake – so hidden.

So unlike the Reggie he knew.

Was this even truly the Reggie he knew? He was believing this too quickly. It was a trick – from his parents.

They had tricked him and Reggie.

Soon enough, there would be something that went wrong with their plan, and Reggie would be all right again.

Right?

After all, they would never beat Reggie.

No matter what.

Reggie always won against them. Always. They never won and never would.

That was a promise that Reggie himself had made.

For his parents to make him like he was acting now, they would have had to break him.

Reggie couldn't – wouldn't – break. That was for sure because he was stronger than that. This was some sort of trick. The last time he had seen Reggie being punished, Sirius's father had cast the Cruciatus curse. Who was to say that they hadn't used the Imperius curse?

They could be controlling Reggie right now. That was why he was acting like that.

Soon, however, Reggie would wake up and overpower it – Sirius was surprised it had worked at all.

"You've changed," Sirius said. He couldn't let his parents know that he knew what was going on. If they knew he did, then they would try something else, and Reggie would be in more danger.

"I've realized our… superiority… as Blacks," Reggie said with a smirk. For a moment, Sirius gaped at him. Then, desperate for the Reggie he remembered to overpower the spell, he asked about something familiar.

"How's Alex?"

"Why would I talk to that filthy mud –" Reggie began.

"Because he's your friend!" Sirius protested angrily, interrupting his brother. His anger wasn't truly at Reggie; it was at his parents for doing that to him.

"I have better friends. And even you could do better than _that_, Sirius." Once again, Reggie used that stoic, calm voice that grated against Sirius's nerves spectacularly.

"Are you implying that Alex isn't a good friend?" Sirius asked through gritted teeth. He tried to calm himself.

_It's not really Reggie. Be angry at my parents, not at him. It isn't his fault. Don't take it out on Reggie. He can't control what he's saying…_

"He's weak," Regulus scoffed. Finally, an emotion showed through his voice. Disgust. "Even for a mudblood. He was ten when he showed his first sign of magic. That's pathetic."

"No, it isn't! And how do you know that it was his first time?"Sirius said heatedly.

"His muggle mother nearly went crazy when she saw it," Reggie sneered.

"So?" Sirius asked coldly. "Just because that was the first time she saw it doesn't mean it was the first time at all."

"I should've expected you to side with the mudblood; you are a Gryffindor, after all."

"And proud of it," Sirius said quietly. Regulus frowned at him angrily.

"You are shaming the Black family –" he began. To Sirius's disgust, he noticed that his parents were watching Reggie with pride. It was the first time he'd ever seen them look at him like that. It made him furious, and he clenched his fists at his side.

"Like you care about that!" Sirius said loudly. He noticed that people were beginning to watch them, but he truly didn't give a damn about that. In fact, let them watch, he thought, let them see that the Black family is petty and cruel.

Of course, his parents did care.

"I do care about that!" Reggie protested. Finally, he seemed actually angry instead of emotionless. Sirius snorted and was about to reply when his mother spoke.

"Stop!" she commanded. "Regulus, Sirius, stop fighting – it is dishonourable."

"Like I give a damn," Sirius snarled. Even more heads were turning to listen. Sirius's father stepped forward, close enough to hiss,

"If you don't stop now, then, once we're home, there will be –"

"Punishment, I know," Sirius snapped. "Will you do what you did to Reggie to me?"

"I hope so," Regulus said. "It's clear you need it. Do you realize people are staring?" His voice was mocking, and it tore into Sirius.

Did Reggie just say that he hoped their father would beat Sirius?

Sirius really hoped he didn't because that was just wrong. No matter how strong the spell controlling Reggie was, saying that just was cruel.

It shouldn't have come out of Reggie's mouth, especially when he couldn't control what was being said. Sirius felt another wave of anger run through him – directed at his parents, of course.

"What did you do to him?" he whispered harshly, his words seeming to crackle in the air. Other people were talking, but Sirius didn't hear them. His gaze and his hearing were solely focused on his father.

"Opened his eyes," his father said with a smirk.

"That's not a real answer," Sirius said. He could hear his father's voice echoing from past memories.

"_No son of mine will be a bloodtraitor!"_

"_You are betraying the house of Black!"_

"_You are nothing – worthless! You will never be the heir!"_

"What did you do to him?" Sirius ground out again.

"They did nothing, Sirius," Reggie said. He began to walk back to where they'd flooed into the station.

"Then why have you changed?" Sirius hissed.

Reggie turned to him with an almost comical look of confusion on his face. He had finally lost the mask he had been wearing.

He truly was confused; Sirius could see that. But why?

It wasn't like their parents had erased his memory; that would have been so dangerous…

It was impossible to do that without the one they casted it on going insane.

There were too many years – too many incidents – to forget. Sirius remembered Reggie in the past, always brave, always cheeky, always nice.

This boy – for he truly was only a kid – only ten – was confused. Sirius promised himself that he'd find out why Reggie changed. He could see a few hints of the old Reggie.

This Reggie was… proud like he had been before. It was just in different ways.

Reggie seemed to be struggling with an answer. Sirius could almost see it running through his head.

"_Then why have you changed?"_

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Reggie stared at his brother – the bloodtraitor.

_Then why have you changed?_

He didn't change; this was how he always had acted.

Right? _(Then why have?)_

His parents had _(have you changed?)_ told him that his brother would try something like this. Sirius wanted him to be in Gryffindor, they told _(changed?) _him.

Sirius was acting like he _(why have you changed?) _had once acted differently. But he never did.

So, why was his brother _(you changed?)_ acting like he had. Sirius had seemed almost shocked by his behavior. Reggie, however, was acting how any honourable Black would.

_Then why have you changed?_

Reggie looked at his brother, meeting his eyes. Sirius's eyes were determined but also sad. They spoke of something Reggie didn't understand.

He and Sirius had always fought – why did Sirius expect him to not fight now?

Did he expect Regulus to say that he had missed him and his bloodtraitor ways?

"I never changed," he said finally.

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**Hey, guys! I know it's been a long time since I've updated, and I'm sorry about that. I wanted to finish another one of my fics.**

**So, tell me what you thought. Especially on Regulus' POV. The repetition I used is actually used a lot in Stephen King's books. I thought I'd try using it.**

**Please review.**

**Thanks to all my old reviewers.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.**


	7. Arrival and Punishment

"What are you talking about?" Sirius said incredulously. "You're completely different!" Regulus looked back at him. Sirius could still see the confusion in his eyes.

Did Reggie honestly not know what he was talking about?

"I'm not, Sirius. I'm the same as always…" Apparently he didn't. That didn't make any sense, though…

Unless it was part of the spell his parents were using to control Reggie! That made sense!

"It's because of mother and father," Sirius burst out angrily. "They did this-"

"You're wrong," Regulus said. "This is how I've always been. You haven't been home for a long time, Sirius. Perhaps you've forgotten."

"I haven't," Sirius growled. "Reggie, you have to-"

"I don't have to do anything, Sirius. And don't call me, Reggie."

He turned and began to follow their parents through the crowd. Sirius saw him push past someone – clearly a muggle – with obvious distaste. Gritting his teeth, Sirius ignored it.

"Come on," their mother screeched. "We're going home." Regulus nodded and followed their parents through the floo. Sirius, gritting his teeth, went in a moment after.

As soon as he stepped out of the fireplace, he was met by his father.

Reggie was standing, watching dispassionately from next to the stairwell.

While Sirius looked at him, his father brought a hand up. Sirius, catching the movement through the corner of his eye, flinched back. He knew what it meant.

His father backhanded him hard across his cheek. Stumbling backward, he hit the fireplace and slid to the ground, disoriented.

"You bloodtraitor! How dare you get into Gryffindor!"

Sirius stared up at his father – who was now so intimidating while he loomed overhead. Sirius started to shake with fear.

Then he caught himself.

He was a Gryffindor.

Bravery was everything to him.

"Gryffindor is the best house!" he snarled.

His father waved his wand, and he heard a crack. A second later, a bust of pain echoed through his nose. It throbbed, and Sirius realized, through the pain, that Reggie wouldn't be the only one with a crooked nose anymore.

Then, hot blood was rolling from his nose. His position on the floor didn't help, being flat on his back caused the blood to enter his throat and mouth. Coughing, Sirius rolled over to his knees trying to split the blood out of his mouth before he swallowed any more of it.

"That's what you get for being a bloodtraitor," his father said. Sirius, who was still trying to get the taste of blood out of his mouth, didn't see his father wave his wand again. Sirius felt as if something large had slammed into his midsection. He spluttered even more; the breath had been knocked out of him. The urge to gag was fighting his attempts to get air into his lungs.

He had never had a beating that bad before.

And it scared him, not that he would admit it.

Reggie had gone through worse.

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Regulus watched from by the stairs as Sirius emerged from the fireplace. He was still scowling.

Regulus narrowed his eyes at his brother. Sirius would cause nothing but trouble in the months to come.

Already, he had mentioned a damn mudblood that Sirius had snuck out to see before. He had also had the nerve to suggest that Regulus had also been friends with the filth! That was disgusting.

As if he would associate himself with that kind of _animal_. He was a Black and a pureblood.

There was nothing any mudblood could do that would make them stronger or more powerful than he was.

He saw how his father hit Sirius.

Did he truly looked scared for a moment? A bit of sympathy whisked through Regulus. Then he caught himself. His brother deserved it.

Besides, it couldn't have hurt that bad. Though, how would he know? It had never happened to him before. His parents were fair; they only punished their kids if their kids deserved it. Sirius had shamed the family.

He deserved it.

Their father was perfectly in the right for what he was doing.

Regulus saw how their father broke Sirius' nose.

It had made an audible crack, which caused Regulus, despite attempting to stand emotionlessly, to flinch when he heard it. It was a horrible sound, and for some reason, again, Regulus felt a deep sympathy for Sirius.

Why, though?

It didn't make sense.

What their father was doing was perfectly fine.

He thought that their father was right in dealing out punishment.

Just seeing Sirius coughing and spitting out his own blood nearly made him change his mind.

However, if Sirius wouldn't have become a Gryffindor, then he wouldn't have to go through it.

So it was Sirius's fault. It was always Sirius's fault.

Regulus saw that Sirius's nose was slightly crooked looking. He held up a hand and touched his own nose.

It was also crooked.

He wondered why.

After all, he had never gone through a punishment like Sirius was now.

Regulus's heart began to beat faster as their father made another motion with his wand.

Sirius jerked back as if struck.

Then he began to gasp and gag. Regulus could see that both reactions were trying to occur simultaneously, making neither work correctly.

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Sirius was still gasping, his world hazy, when he saw his father raise his wand again.

"No-" Sirius managed to gasp out. It was too quiet for his father to hear, not that he wanted his father to hear.

After all, the word had sounded a lot like begging.

In fact, Sirius was quite glad that the word hadn't been heard by anyone other than him.

His father's wand came down one more time; this time, it was flicked in a different way. Sirius, with much more force than before, was thrown backward. He cracked his head off of the fireplace and fell downwards.

Everything went black moments after he hit the floor.

12312312312312123123123123123123123123123123123123 123123123123123123123123123123123Regulus noticed what his father did not. He saw Sirius's mouth move to form the word 'no.'

As much as he told himself differently, he wished that the punishment would stop. He was beginning to feel sick watching his father punish Sirius. Regulus could tell that Sirius was in a lot of pain, and he didn't like the feeling of seeing that. It hurt him, a lot.

As Sirius was thrown back and fell unconscious, Regulus relaxed his taunt muscles. He hadn't even noticed that his hands had turned to fists. His father was stopping – or at least, that's what he thought.

Apparently, their father was caught in the moment because he continued to curse Sirius.

Reggie saw the first curse and promised himself that that was his father's last one.

Then he cursed him again.

To Regulus, cursing Sirius was one thing as a punishment. This wasn't punishment. Sirius wasn't learning anything – he was unconscious.

So why wasn't their father stopping?

Suddenly, Regulus couldn't take it any longer.

He ran in front of his father. Regulus wasn't stupid enough to do it as he waved his wand again. No, instead, he waited until after his father preformed the spell.

"Stop!" he demanded. His father narrowed his eyes at Regulus.

"Is that any way to speak to me?" he hissed.

"No, father, and I apologize. But you can't keep cursing Sirius."

"Why not?" his father asked. Regulus could sense that, to his father, this was almost a test. He wanted to see if Reggie would make a good Black. So, Regulus thought for a moment.

"He's unconscious. Sirius can't feel anything anymore. If it's a punishment, then he should feel it." His father nodded, and Regulus relaxed slightly.

That was his father's way of saying he had given an appropriate answer.

"Alright," he growled. "But as punishment for interrupting me, you get to take care of him when he awakes." Regulus nodded and watched as his father left the room.

"Kreacher," he whispered. With a pop, Kreacher appeared.

"Take Sirius up to his room, please. And get me some medical potions."

"Yes, Master Regulus," Kreacher said and disappeared, taking Sirius with him. Regulus walked up the stairs slowly, not entering his room but instead going into Sirius's.

He would wait in there until Sirius woke up.

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**Hey, guys! I hope you enjoy the quick update! Although, I am sorry to say that today is my last day of spring break. **** I'm back to school tomorrow.**

**Please review! I need to know what you guys think!**

**Also, please read my fic titled "Which Should I Write? Two Story Previews."**

**And vote in my poll or review to tell me which one you like more.**

**Thanks to all my old reviewers!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.**


	8. Discussion and Concussion

Regulus stood in Sirius's room. Sirius was still unconscious, but that didn't surprise him. After all, Sirius had hit his head pretty hard off of the fireplace.

At least, he wanted to believe that was why Sirius wasn't waking up. He was still bleeding. Regulus had been alternating between desperately trying to stop the blood and pouring blood replenishing potions down Sirius's throat.

Unfortunately, as the blood wouldn't stop flowing out of Sirius, the extra blood did nearly nothing, only causing it to come out faster.

Regulus was terrified. Later, he wouldn't admit it, but he sincerely thought that Sirius would die. That scared him. After all, he was only ten, and Sirius, even though he was a Bloodtraitor, was his brother.

Later, it would surprise Regulus that he knew so much about healing. He couldn't remember ever having to control bleeding to that extent, but he found that, even though his mind was nearly paralyzed with fear, his hands knew what to do.

He was grateful that they did it readily.

Eventually, the blood did slow, and Regulus was able to use a few bandages that Kreacher had brought and wrapped the worst cuts.

Sirius was pale – too pale – but the bleeding had stopped. Regulus moved his focus to the broken bones.

Once again, while his mind wasn't sure of what to do, his hands were prepared.

At any other time, he would have questioned that, but he was truly too relieved that Sirius was looking better to inquire about it.

He grabbed one of the potions Kreacher had brought. Regulus knew enough to know that repairing bones hurt quite a bit, and for the moment, he was glad that Sirius was unconscious.

This would not be pleasant for him.

He forced Sirius to drink the brew, pouring it into him slowly so that he would not choke. Then he waited.

After a few minutes, he could see the potion began to take effect. Some of Sirius's ribs began to shift slightly. It was slow, but Regulus was sure that it was agonizing.

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Sirius groaned, the thick pain forcing him to a semi-conscious state. It seemed timeless. There was only him and the pain. He wasn't sure how long he spent like that – it felt like an eternity.

There was a deep pain that pulsed over his entire midsection. He tried to hold his breath – anything to dull it – but that only made his heartbeat pulse in his ears. The throbbing pain immediately matched up to his heartbeat.

_Lub (throb) dub. Lub (throb) dub._

It seemed to be a continuous cycle.

Finally, when it faded enough that he could actually think past the pain, he immediately became aware of the pain in his head.

On the back of his head, there was a continuous pain. He found himself wishing for the throbbing, just to have a little reprieve rather than the horrible constant.

Sirius could hear someone moving. Where was he? He remembered being on the train, but the rest was a hideous blur.

Blinking open his eyes, he regretted it instantly when bright light flooded into the crack in his eyelids. The pain in his head doubled, something he would have believed impossible before.

"Sorry," he heard someone whisper. Or at least, he thought someone whispered it. They seemed to be coming from very far away and their voice was distorted.

To Sirius's surprise, however, he recognized it.

"R – reggie?" he croaked. What had happened?

"Sirius?" the voice whispered back. This time, it seemed a bit louder.

"W – what – what happened?"

"You can't remember?" Reggie asked. Once again, his voice was coming across as if from very far away. Sirius tried to open his eyes again – he wanted to see if Reggie was far away – but as soon as the light entered his eyes, the pain intensified.

He closed them again with a moan.

Behind his closed eyes, there were flashes of light echoing through his head, like fireworks.

He tried to remember what Reggie had asked.

_You can't remember?_

Remember what? Should he have remembered something? Sirius knew he had been on the train coming back from… from Hogwarts.

He had been talking to his friends…

James Potter.

Remus Lupin.

And…

And…

He couldn't remember the last kid's name. That was strange. Sirius was sure he knew him.

Maybe he didn't, though. The kid's face seemed fuzzy in his memories. Sirius decided that he probably didn't know him that well.

Then what happened?

He – er – he got off the train? Sirius couldn't remember that, but it seemed valid.

He had been excited to see… his brother.

Why?

"R – reggie?" he asked again.

"Yes?" Regulus asked. Was it just him, or did Regulus seem nervous?

No. Reggie was never nervous. He was brave!

"You think I'm brave?" Reggie asked incredulously.

Oh. Apparently, he had said that aloud.

"Yes," Sirius garbled. "Reggie? What happened?"

"You – you hit your head, Sirius."

"Oh. I think it hurt."

"I'm sure it did. Are you still in a lot of pain?" Reggie asked. At the same moment, another flash of white fireworks echoed across the darkness Sirius saw.

"Did you see the fireworks?" he asked.

"What – no?" Reggie said. He sounded worried. Sirius felt aggrieved that Reggie hadn't seen them. For some reason, it seemed important that he did.

"They were pretty," Sirius slurred. "Reggie?"

"Yes, Sirius?" It was clear – even to Sirius – that Reggie felt uncomfortable.

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"What happened?" Sirius asked again. Regulus stared at his brother with concern. Sirius was lying still on the bed, too pale and in obvious pain. His words were indistinct, and his eyes were clenched shut, blocking any light from entering.

Combining his appearance with his speech, Regulus could easily deduct that Sirius had something wrong with him.

There were multiple potions that could get rid of the headache, but Regulus didn't know if they would help when Sirius was obviously not in the correct state of mind. He was concerned that it would damage him further.

Sirius must have hit his head harder than Regulus had thought. _Much _harder than Regulus had thought.

"You – you… What can you remember?" Regulus asked. He really didn't want to say that their father had knocked him unconscious – something still seemed wrong about that, no matter how much Sirius had deserved to be punished.

"I remember – I remember being on the train… And getting off… I wanted to see… you." Regulus wondered if Sirius truly had wanted to see him. They had never gotten along well, after all. Their views and character traits were just too different. Then again, Sirius apparently thought that he was brave, so maybe Sirius didn't believe they were as different as Regulus thought they were.

"Why did you want to see me?" he asked. Really, he should have probably wanted to ask Sirius what happened next, but he really did want to know why Sirius had wanted to see him. From the beginning, Sirius had been talking about how he had 'changed.' This was his best chance at finding out what he meant. Regulus felt distantly guilty that he was using his brother when Sirius was obviously not in his normal mental state, but he wanted to know what Sirius thought. He just called it his Slytherin side and went with it.

"I was… worried. I thought they would – would hurt you. Try to change you."

"How?" Regulus asked. Now, he was even more curious. It seemed like Sirius was going to tell him how he thought that Regulus had changed. Who did he think tried to change him, though?

It couldn't have been their parents. After all, it had always been Sirius that had been the one being punished.

"You're like them…"

"Like who, Sirius?" he asked. Sirius, however, wasn't done speaking, and he continued to talk like Regulus hadn't spoken.

"…But you can't remember."

"Remember what, Sirius?" Regulus asked. Now, his curiosity seemed much more urgent. He needed to know what Sirius was talking about. It didn't make sense that he wanted to know so much. After all, Sirius was lying in bed with a head injury. He had already spoken about nonsense, and he couldn't open his eyes.

Most of what he was saying was probably nonsense anyway.

"Remember – remember… Are you _sure _you can't see the fireworks?"

"No, I can't-"

"You should see them. They're really pretty."

"I know, Sirius-"

"Reggie?" Sirius asked suddenly, interrupting him.

"Yes, Sirius?" Regulus asked. He didn't protest against Sirius using that ridiculous nickname. Though, Sirius had never called him it before, and he wondered why he would now.

"My head hurts." Regulus was silent for a moment. On one hand, he felt immensely guilty that he had been keeping Sirius in pain in order to find out information. On the other hand, he _really _wanted to know what Sirius was talking about.

"… Reggie?" Sirius asked.

"Yes, Sirius?"

"Why does my head hurt?" Sirius asked.

"…You hit it. Here, I have a potion… Drink this."

He opted not to give Sirius the headache potion. Instead, he gave him a potion to put him to sleep. Regulus knew that Sirius needed more rest. Maybe the next time he awoke his head would feel a bit better.

Regulus sighed as he looked at his sleeping brother. He did want to know what Sirius had been talking about. Regulus also wondered why Sirius had acted so friendly to him. They had never been too close – they were too different.

Turning around, he left the room, closing the door behind him. It probably hadn't been the best idea to keep the door open. Who knew how their parents would have reacted to what Sirius had said? Regulus had never liked closed spaces. In fact, he avoided them as much as possible.

Sirius would sleep for a couple hours at least. He had quite a bit of time before Sirius woke up.

Regulus knew what he had to do during that time.

Sirius had said things that made him question things. Why couldn't he quite remember specific occasions when he was younger? He faintly remembered fights with Sirius, but there were none that he remembered clearly. That didn't make sense.

It was time to take advantage of the time he had –

And it was time to talk to his parents.

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**Hey, guys! Sorry that it took a bit long to update. I'm in school again. **** And yesterday, I had my level 8 state gymnastics meet. I left the house at 9:00 AM and got home at 2:00 AM. I did pretty well, though. **

**So, tell me what you thought. I know that I kind of overdramatized the head injury. It was supposed to be a severe concussion…**

**I have a teammate who just got a severe concussion, and she couldn't remember what she did to get it, so I figured that was valid. The description of his headache is based on when I get migraines. (Including the flashes of light. I also get strange hallucinations and hear things. ._.)**

**Please review!**

**Thanks to all my old reviewers!**

**Please check out my story previews! It's called "Which Should I Write? Two Story Previews." Tell me which sounds better! Currently, I am leaning towards the second one with the Dark Sirius!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter!**


	9. The Second Awakening

"Mother? Father?" Regulus asked. He had to admit that he was looking at his parents differently after what they had done to Sirius.

"Yes, Regulus?" his mother said. He took a deep breath and assessed Walburga Black. She was tall and the proud expression permanently etched on her face spoke volumes about her character. He had never seen his mother as arrogant, but now that he looked, it was obvious.

"I – I…" he started but then paused, unsure of what to say exactly.

"What, Regulus?" she said impatiently. "Blacks don't stutter."

"Why can't I remember anything?" he said.

"Wha-" his mother began, a look of blank shock on her face. Then her eyes hardened. _"Orion!"_

Regulus felt an uncharacteristic surge of anger as his mother called for his father. Did she always hide behind him? Every time a hard question came up – every time there was something she didn't like – she called him.

Regulus found it weak. He had never thought about it before, and the thought itself shocked him. After all, these were his parents. He had always respected them.

And they deserved respect. Right?

"Yes?" Orion asked, entering the room with the soft sweeping of proudly worn robes.

"Regulus wants to ask something." Regulus turned to his mother with surprise. Of all the things he had expected her to say, this had not been one of them. Regulus's father switched his gaze to his son. When Regulus didn't immediately speak, Orion said,

"Well?"

Regulus took a deep breath. After his mother's reaction, he wasn't sure if he even wanted to ask that question any more. Steeling himself, he took a deep breath.

"I want to know why I can't remember anything." Orion Black set his in anger. It was a small movement – so small that it was nearly not noticeable – but Regulus noticed it. He was tuned to see the small signs of his parents's anger. Of course, he rarely did see them.

His father held his anger well. When he spoke again, there was no hint of it in his voice.

"What do you mean, Regulus?" A bit of worry crept into his face, but Regulus could easily tell it was fake. Perhaps that was because of what his father had done to his brother. No loving father could beat his one son and be concerned about the second.

Regulus swallowed hard. His throat felt dry. He was scared – no, more than scared – of his father. Still, though, he plowed forward, refusing to allow himself to pause.

"I can't remember much from before this year." His father – jaw still tight with anger that Regulus perceived through ways that he didn't understand – allowed the fake worry to drain off of his face.

"Is that all?" he said. There was the emotionless voice again, but it also seemed relieved. Regulus was sure that that was as true as the worry that had previously graced his gaze. "You are getting older, Regulus. You cannot expect yourself to remember every moment."

"But I barely remember any of it," Regulus protested.

"No one remembers much from when they are young. It's normal to lose a few memories."

"But Sirius said-"

"Regulus," his mother put in with a sigh. "Just because your brother hasn't been home for a while doesn't mean that he's changed. He's the same person you knew before. He's still going to lie to you – about everything." Reluctantly, Regulus nodded.

Perhaps that was it. His brother had always liked a good joke. What if the pain was all pretend, too? Regulus didn't think it had looked so serious when his brother had hit his head. It was only when Sirius had woke that it seemed bad.

"Okay," Regulus said, turning.

He wanted to believe his parents, but still, there was something inside of him protesting against that.

It was telling him to believe Sirius.

But why? He had never believed Sirius before. They had never liked each other.

In fact, they had always been at each other's throats. Now, after Sirius began Hogwarts, things were still the same.

Sirius was a Gryffindor.

And from an early age, Regulus had been taught that they are not to be trusted.

He exited his parents's room and returned to his.

He still had a few hours until Sirius awoke.

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"R – reggie?" Sirius groaned. He blinked open his eyes. To his delight, the light didn't hurt him as bad as before. Though – the headache certainly wasn't gone. Turning his head slightly –even the soft movement made his head pound even worse – he looked around. It was clear that he was in his room.

Reggie wasn't there.

"Reggie?" he said again. His voice was hoarse. Sirius blinked slowly a few times, trying to wake himself up. The objects in his room were distorted slightly and seemed to waver as he looked at them. That wasn't good, he thought serenely. He couldn't do anything to stop it, though.

As if summoned, Regulus entered the room at the second call.

"Oh," he said, sounding slightly surprised. "You're awake."

"Yeah," Sirius said. The hoarseness in his voice seemed even worse now. He wasn't sure if it was because he was talking or if he was more aware.

As he became more aware, he noticed the deep pain within him. As soon as he became aware of it, it tried to swallow him. Its teeth mashed against him. Of course, the sharpest – and most deadly – were on his head.

He tried to push himself to a sitting position only to gasp as the pain shot through him. He whimpered, and almost immediately, Regulus was at his side.

"Lay back down, Sirius," he snapped. Sirius could see the concern in his eyes. "You're still hurt."

"I still don't remember what happened," Sirius said. His voice was very soft – that was strange. He hadn't meant it to be.

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"I still don't remember what happened?" his brother said softly. Regulus sighed and handed Sirius a glass of water. Sirius took it in his hands, but they shook badly, and a large glob of water bounced over the top of the glass.

Regulus, seeing his hands shaking, grabbed the cup and steadied it with one hand. Sirius, shooting a grateful look at him, drank from it.

"Sirius – do you remember waking up before?" Regulus didn't know exactly why he had said that. He wasn't planning on saying it. In fact, it came as a complete surprise.

After all, he had believed his parents.

They were right, and he trusted them.

Right?  
"Er –" Sirius said, grimacing as he tried to think. "I think so."

"You said that I changed."

"You have," Sirius said. "But you don't remember it…"

"Why should I believe you?" Regulus said sharply. His pride was a bit injured at the thought that if Sirius was lying, then Regulus had played right into his hands.

"Why shouldn't you?" Sirius asked calmly.

"Because you've lied to me before," Regulus growled. He stiffened slightly – anger coursing through him roughly.

"No I haven't," Sirius said calmly. Despite the talk, Sirius yawned slightly. His eyes fluttered. It was clear to Regulus that he was tired – exhausted even. After all, he was still injured.

"But – I – I remember-"

"It's not real," Sirius whispered. "Talk to Alex. He knew you before you changed." Regulus curled his lip with disgust. Talk to a mudblood – why would he do that?

Before he could protest, however, Sirius was asleep.

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**Hey guys! Sorry for taking so long and sorry this is so short! **

**I have excuses for both. It's thunderstorming here, and I'm being kicked off the computer, so I figured I'd end it here.**

**And I was at VA beach on a music trip with my school. We took first place orchestra! Yeah! I play cello **** I also went to Busch Gardens (there were some Homestuck cosplayers there!) We were at the beach, too, and I went swimming… into 40 degree water. I was nearly completely numb.**

**So, anyway, I'll stop blabbering about things people don't care about.**

**Please review. **

**Thanks to all my old reviewers. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter!**


	10. Too Much

Regulus looked down at his brother, anger flooding into him, blocking his other emotions.

What was he doing? Sirius had always played tricks on him – didn't he? Regulus wrenched his head back and forth. He couldn't think like that anymore. Sirius was the same person he remembered. There was no change.

It didn't matter that Sirius seemed to believe he had been different. When could he ever trust what Sirius said? Sirius wasn't there for him. He had his own damn agenda. Regulus couldn't trust him. He could never trust him.

Turning away, he walked out of Sirius's room, not caring that he didn't know when Sirius would wake up.

Let him wake up alone! He deserved the beating. Sirius had been a mix of disrespectful and rude at the train station. Their father had been right to punish him.

Nothing he'd done was that bad anyway.

_(I've had worse.)_

What? Where'd that thought come from? He'd never been hit before. After all, he was the perfect son that listened to everything his father said.

_(that's how it's always been.)_

It was only a couple shots. His father had done worse to Sirius before.

_(when?)_

Sirius would recover; he always did. He was very accomplished at being able to hide the marks of his beatings.

_(he doesn't have any scars.)_

_(surely, he should.)_

_(I did)_

Regulus shook his head, trying to rid himself of those strange thoughts that seemed to be replaying in his head.

Over and over.

_(like I don't know myself.)_

Regulus laughed, near manically. It didn't make sense.

_(does anything?)_

Sirius shouldn't be that weak – like he wasn't used to it – from one beating. The shock that had been in his eyes – it was like that was his first time being hit. That certainly wasn't true.

_(I can't remember him being hit.)_

Sirius had been hit so many times before. Regulus stomped into his room, breathing out loudly as he crossed the threshold. Why couldn't he stop thinking about this? There was no deep, hidden secret. His brother was weak. He was a Gryffindor.

_(so am I.)_

Regulus stood at his desk. For some reason, looking at the green walls

_(slytherin)_

didn't comfort him. He found an unopened letter on his desk. On the front, "Reggie" was scrawled. It was Sirius's handwriting.

(when did I get this?)

_"Reggie,_

I'm a Gryffindor. A Gryffindor! I'm not a slimy-snake-Slytherin! The dorm looks great, and its nothing like mother said it would be. Remember when she told us that the Gryffindors don't even get beds because they are so worthless? The beds here are more comfortable than back at home!

How are you, Reggie? I'm worried. I didn't get to see you before I left. Please, don't get caught doing anything bad. I don't want them to hurt you.

Tell me if you need me to come home for Christmas. I don't really want to, but if you need me to, then I will.

I met this one kid - James Potter. You'd like him. I can't wait to introduce you guys, actually.

_Write back soon!_

_Siri_

P.S. Don't tell mother that I'm in Gryffindor. I'll send her a letter."

It was clear that Sirius had sent it at the beginning of the year. Had it sat unopened on his desk for so long?

(why have I never seen it?)

Sirius seemed almost as if he was bragging.

(no.)

That was wrong. He seemed almost as if he thought Regulus would share in his joy.

He didn't remember when mother told them Gryffindors didn't get beds.

(should I?)

Sirius seemed… concerned for him in the letter. The whole thing about him saying he was worried played in Regulus's mind. Why would he have been worried? Nothing unusual had happened. All he really did was do his private studies on being a pureblood. He was quite inept in the beginning – his parents had probably made them a lot harder than what he had learned before this year. Although, to him, it had seemed like he had never even studied any of it before.

Then there was the whole thing with James Potter. Regulus… and James? A Black and a Potter? Sirius had always been the rebel.

(why don't I remember it, then?)

Why did Sirius think that he'd like James? Sirius would never introduce them. He'd probably think that Regulus was a tagalong if he even got on the train with Sirius.

Regulus looked around the room,

_(trapped, confined)_

his eyes took in the dark green walls. They now seemed too close, too confining.

_(can't escape.)_

Regulus turned so quickly that he knocked several items off his desk, including the letter from Sirius. It fluttered to the ground, but Regulus was already stalking from his room.

He nearly ran out the front door. Taking deep, gulping breaths, he felt finally like he was free.

_(free? Will I ever be?)_

He fell to the grass, not caring that it was in the muggles' clear sight. His legs suddenly seemed unable to carry him. He couldn't do this.

_(lost. Defenseless.)_

Collapsing on himself, he let out a quiet sob. This was too much – everything was too much. Sirius was hurt. Father and Mother were distant as always.

_(they hurt me.)_

He couldn't remember. Regulus could hardly remember anything.

_(can't I?)_

"Sssstupid human," he heard something hiss.

"Shut up," he told the voice, not caring who it was.

"A Ssspeaker? What is wrong, Sssspeaker?"

_(speaker?)_

Regulus turned around and saw the snake on the ground. He paled drastically.

"I'm a Parselmouth," he muttered.

"Nothing," he told the snake before spinning around and walking to the road. The snake didn't respond to him. He walked down the street, his mind fuzzy and unsure.

_(I can speak to snakes)_

It wasn't a bad trait – not at all. Mother and Father would have been happy – and proud – that he had it.

_(Sirius wouldn't be.)_

Regulus shook his head stubbornly. No, Sirius wouldn't care. He had walked a good way down the street. Regulus saw a muggle playground. There was a woman there – a muggle, no doubt. There was also a boy.

_(Alex.)_

The mudblood. Regulus turned away, to return home, but the mudblood saw him and cried out.

"Regulus!"

Then Regulus heard the pitter-patter of feet on asphalt, and he was tackled from behind by a blabbering mudblood.

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**Hey, guys. Sorry it's been a while since my last update. I'm just really busy. **

**I tried a new method this chapter. Please tell me how it worked with the thoughts in parenthesis. That's a method done by Stephen King. I figured I might as well try it. I tried to get it to symbolize the small (but growing) part of Regulus that still remembers everything.**

**Please review.**

**Thanks to all my old reviewers.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.**


	11. The Playground Again

"You – I haven't seen you! Sirius was worried – we've been talking with letters. They come by owl – of all things! But you know that, of course! How've you been? I wanted to go to your house, but Sirius said not to-"

"I'm fine," Regulus said. His tone was cold as he tried to shrug the boy off. He didn't let go.

"…Reggie?" Alex's voice was bewildered as he took in my cold tone. Or perhaps it was my robes. Who knew? With a mudblood, it could be anything.

_(maybe because I was his friend)_

Regulus refrained from shaking his head again. By this time, the parent – the muggle – was coming over.

"Alex?" she said. "I think you can let go now." Alex did, and Regulus turned around, fixing a glare at the boy as he did.

"I know, mum. I just haven't seen him in forever!" Alex was nearly bouncing with excitement.

_(and you still haven't seen me.)_

Regulus was confused. Why did this kid think he was Regulus's friend? He'd never met the mudblood before – Sirius had talked about him, yeah, but…

_(because I told Sirius.)_

"Where's Sirius, Reggie?" Alex asked. Regulus thought for a moment before deciding to play along. At this point, he just wanted answers. It really didn't matter who gave them.

_(then why don't you listen to yourself?) _

It seemed that everyone – everyone! – seemed to be on this little game but him. Maybe the best way to learn more would be to act like they expected him to – like what mother and father didn't want.

He'd have to act like Sirius.

"He's at home – sick," Regulus said.

_(and so much more.)_

"Will he be alright? Have your parents taken him to the doctor?" Alex asked.

"Doctor?" Reggie repeated. He was sure that he'd never heard the word. It was probably a muggle word. Of course, the mudblood would know it.

_(why am I calling him that?)_

"Yeah, the doctor?" Alex repeated. He seemed to not understand Regulus's dilemma. Luckily, his mother came to the rescue.

"I'm assuming that's a muggle word?"

"-Oh right!" Alex jumped in. His mother ignored him.

"A doctor's where you go to get better when you're sick," his mum finished.

_(I already knew that.)_

"Oh, a healer," Regulus said with a grin. "Sorry, I don't know my muggle terms very well."

"S' alright," Alex said. "Do you want to come play with me?"

"Wait," Alex's mother put in. "Does your mother know you're here? This won't be like last year?"

_(hell, no)_

Mother? Of course she didn't know, but he couldn't tell Alex's mother that.

"Yeah, she knows."

"Then come on!" Alex said, pulling him towards the playground. Regulus looked at the unfamiliar equipment and sighed. He truly didn't know what they were used for.

"We can pretend we're pirates and it can be our ship! Or we could be explorers going to a jungle! Or…"

Regulus let Alex's voice fade into the background. He found the boy to be almost too perky. He'd always

_(always? You sure about that?)_

thought that Sirius was lively, but even he didn't act like this boy did. Alex was actually trembling with excitement. Regulus always thought that phrase was an exaggeration.

It was strange to see someone actually do it.

"Whatever you want to," Regulus said with a smile. Alex thought for a moment.

"Let's go on the swings!" He turned and began to race for what Regulus assumed was the swings.

"Yeah!" Regulus said, trying to sound as excited. Although, the swings couldn't be that bad… Alex thought they were fun…

Regulus got on one and began to copy Alex and start to swing.

(this is fun.)

They did that for a while before Alex hopped off. Regulus slowed down and joined him on the ground.

"Are you sure Sirius isn't better yet?" Alex asked. Immediately, Regulus thought that Alex had noticed a difference between him and the Regulus he seemed to remember.

"I'm sure," Regulus said.

"It's terrible that he's sick during the summer," Alex said. "I like getting to miss school in the winter when I'm sick, but I hate getting sick during the summer."

"What's it like at your school?" Regulus asked. Call it novel curiosity; he wanted to know what growing up as a muggle was like.

_(or I want to know what Alex has been up to.)_

Alex thought for a moment.

"It can be fun. I had nice teachers last year, but it can be boring, too. What about at your house?"

"Mother and Father can be strict, but Sirius and I learn about the customs and certain spells and potions. I'm not allowed to have a wand yet. But I will get one before I go to Hogwarts this fall!" Regulus found that it wasn't as hard to pretend as he had expected it to be. All he really had to do was be nice.

_(maybe there's a reason that seems so natural.)_

"And I will, too! I'm so excited!" Alex exclaimed. "Sirius told me all about it!"

"You've been talking?"

"He's been sending his owl! He was really worried about you, you know. Thought your parents were being mean." Regulus laughed hollowly.

_(they did much more than just be mean.)_

"No, they were fine," he said. He tried to smile but found he couldn't quite form his lips into one. Did Alex know that his parents got… violent… sometimes?" Sirius couldn't have told him.

_(he didn't.)_

Mother and Father would be angry. The last thing Sirius needed now was to have their parents angry at him again.

_(they wouldn't be angry at him.)_

Alex nodded.

"That's better for you, then. At least you don't have any more bruises, right?"

What? Alex _did_ know about how Mother and Father would hit Sirius sometimes. But why did he think

(know.)

that it was Regulus who would have the bruises, not his brother.

"They – they weren't too bad-"

"That doesn't make it right, honey," Alex's mother said. Oh. Apparently, she had been listening in on their conversation.

Well, wasn't that just _peachy_.

"No – no, it's fine. It doesn't matter-"

_(are you sure about that?)_

Regulus could feel himself beginning to get worked up.

_(beginning to?)_

He was shaking suddenly – a cruel variation to how Alex had been trembling with happiness not long ago.

"Honey – honey, what's wrong?" Alex's mother asked.

"N-nothing," Regulus tried to say. It couldn't have come across as less convincing.

"Reggie, you can tell me," Alex's mother said soothingly. Finally, Regulus could stand it no longer.

"It's Sirius," he wailed, sounding more like a child then he cared to admit. "Sirius was hurt! Father hurt him, and – and I'm trying to help him, but it's worse – worse than ever before. He hit his head – and he was bleeding…"

"Regulus, you need to get him to a doctor – healer?" Alex's mother said, sounding worried. Her face was pinched into a deep frown. It spoke of disapproval and sadness – so different than the fierce, angry frowns his mother would wear.

_(she's better then my mother ever could be.)_

"Mother and Father yelled at me for trying to get them to stop hurting him. They said my p – punishment was to heal him all by myself," Regulus cried. Alex's mother stepped forward, as if to wrap her arms around him, but Regulus stumbled backward, raising his arms in front of his face.

_(instincts. I thought she was going to hit me.)_

As quickly as the tears had sprung into his eyes, they were gone. So was the way of a Black. They could hide their emotions at moment's notice.

"It's okay, Regulus," Alex's mother said gently. "We need to get Sirius some help. Can you tell me his symptoms?"

"Er… he's confused. And he sleeps a lot. Even when he wakes up he feels groggy. I gave him a blood-replenishing potion, and I gave him a potion for his ribs-"

"His ribs?" Alex's mother asked, horrified.

"A few were cracked," Regulus said. "You know – I should really be getting back to him." He was starting to feel really uncomfortable with his burst of emotion. Alex was just staring at him, and Alex's mother's look was unnerving him.

"Yeah," Alex's mother whispered. "Yeah, you should." Her voice sounded choked.

Regulus nodded and turned.

"Bye, Alex.," he whispered.

As he walked away, Alex's mother whispered something to him. The words made him smile – though he didn't know why. After all, she was just a muggle.

"And Reggie… it's nice to see you; we were worried about you."

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**Hey guys! A quick update! Yay!**

**I know this is a bit random, but the song, "Not Alone" (it's in A Very Potter Musical) is wonderful when sung completely by Darren Criss. I've been listening to it all night!**

**I hope you like this chapter! I finally fit Alex back into it. I hope you guys like what I did with Alex's mum (I should really give her a last name.) I thought I'd try putting in a concerned parent. Just another thing to help Regulus remember who he is!**

**Please review! **

**Thanks to all my old reviewers! **

**Hey, if anyone hasn't checked out my two story previews (called What Should I Write: Two Story Previews) please do. At this point, it looks like I am going to be writing the dark Sirius one. I'll be starting that soon.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter!**


	12. The New Plan

Regulus walked back. His overly-dramatic, overly-emotional moment had left no trace other than the soft trembling in his hands. He tried to stop their shaking. The last thing he needed was to drop a potion he would no doubt have to force down Sirius's throat.

"I can help him," Reggie whispered as he walked. The air was nice and warm, but he wrapped his arms around his torso, seeming to give himself a hug.

_(i can.)_

Maybe the strange knowledge

_(my knowledge.)_

that had told him what potions to use for what would be back. He couldn't think of a reason for him to know what to do like he had. Perhaps it was accidental magic?

_(or practice?)_

Regulus didn't know what he really expected when he got back. Before, Sirius had seemed confused and hurt. Then he awoke and had practically sent Reggie on the mission he was returning from.

Regulus sighed, pushing the air through clenched teeth. It made a whistling sound that was easy to hear through the mayhem of a London street.

Alex had acted as if they were old friends, and his mother had also been kind.

_(better than my own.)_

Regulus found that something inside of him trusted her.

_(my heart.)_

But he didn't know why.

After all, he had just met the woman. Regulus didn't know what he had been expecting, but he certainly hadn't expected that. She was kind, and he could see in her eyes that she meant what she said.

"She's just a muggle," he hissed between his teeth.

_(but you liked it when she cared.)_

"Shut up," Reggie muttered. He didn't notice that he had just spoken to himself. Pity, for if he had, he may have noticed that the thoughts came with flashes of memory buried deeply within him.

He entered his house, dully wondering if Sirius had woken again. Regulus was worried for his brother, of course, but he also was unsure. He would really have preferred if Sirius would just miraculously heal himself. Come on, couldn't he use his magic at all?

After all, Regulus could swear he remembered Sirius healing himself with his magic before.

_(he never had to.)_

Sirius had been beaten so often

_(barely ever.)_

that it wasn't surprising. Regulus wished he could do it again. He didn't mind taking care of his brother, but he hated how everything relied on him. Whatever was wrong with Sirius, it was severe. Regulus was extremely worried that he would mess it up somehow. What if he gave Sirius the wrong potion?

_(i know those by heart.)_

He could hurt Sirius even worse.

Regulus turned into Sirius's room. Inside, he saw that Sirius was tossing and turning, barely asleep. After a moment's hesitation, he decided to wake his brother.

"Sirius?" Regulus whispered. Sirius blearily blinked open his eyes as Regulus put a hand on his shoulder.

"Reggie?" Sirius rasped. His voice was hoarse, and Regulus immediately got him a glass of water. Sirius struggled to sit up to drink it, and Regulus propped a pillow behind him.

His brother's eyes were unfocused, and it was clear that his head was spinning wildly. Sirius blinked them a few times, and he seemed to start to shake his head, only to wince and groan.

"How are you?" Regulus asked. "Is it any better?"

"A bit," Sirius said. Regulus was happy to notice that Sirius did sound better and much more awake. Suddenly, the emotions that overwhelmed him before came flooding back.

"S – Sirius… I was so – so worried…" he said, trying valiantly not to sniffle.

"You were worried?" Sirius said. He appeared calm, but Regulus could see the slight shaking of his hands.

"Yeah!" Regulus declared.

"You don't care that I'm a bloodtraitor?" Sirius seemed very leery to ask that question. Regulus understood why. He'd never been

_(yeah. never.) _

happy that Sirius rebelled against the Black family. In fact, he'd always been the one to protest against what Sirius said.

_(not the other way around, of course.)_

Regulus forced his lips into a small smile.

"Of course not, Sirius."

He was amazed to find that he meant it. Regulus didn't care that his brother was a Gryffindor. Sirius could have been a damn House-elf and Regulus would not have cared because in the end, Sirius was his brother.

He was finally realizing what that truly meant.

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"What are we going to do, Orion?" Walburga Black asked. "It didn't work right." Orion was pacing across their shared bedroom. He glared at his wife for a moment as she interrupted his thoughts.

"Of course it didn't work right!" he scoffed. "Regulus is very powerful. You saw how he convinced Sirius that his way was right over the years."

"All Blacks are powerful," Walburga protested haughtily. Orion sighed.

"Not his magic!" he snapped. "I don't know about that. Regulus's mind is strong. It's fighting the memory charm, and it's only a matter of time before he breaks it."

"So what can we do," Walburga said in a falsely sweet voice. Orion nearly growled at the sound. His wife was a fool. She couldn't see that their younger son couldn't be forced into anything. They had to convince him personally.

Orion would have liked to say that it wouldn't be hard, but he knew that Regulus had a very deep belief that muggles and wizards were alike.

He was wrong, of course, but it would be hard to make them see that. Walburga was beginning to look irritated at not getting an answer.

"Orion?" she prompted. He clenched his teeth, doing his best to ignore her. She called herself a Black and wore her emotions on her sleeve at the same time. It was sickening.

Regulus was in the wrong.

They just needed to convince him their way was right. Orion nodded to himself. He knew what to start with.

Orion would have to spend time with his youngest son and show him personally what made muggles so bad and so dangerous to wizards.

Walburga was pouting at him as she once again waiting for his answer.

"I'll take care of it," he snapped. Then he turned and stalked out of his room. He glanced into Regulus's bedroom, but it was empty.

Orion clenched his teeth. Regulus was probably still taking care of his brother.

Perhaps Orion would have to help him. IT would certainly make Regulus warm up a bit.

Orion nodded to himself. He would help his oldest son heal. After all, it was imperious in order to get to Regulus.

And who knew, perhaps, in the end, he could convince Sirius of his mistake as well.

Orion smiled as he looked into Sirius's bedroom. Both boys were asleep in Sirius's bed.

He shut the door carefully. They needed their rest.

Tomorrow would, after all, be a very big day.

Tomorrow, the Black family would regain their heirs.

And he would do it in a way that would make sure neither of his sons protested against it again.

Ever.

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**Hey guys! I'm sorry that it has taken so long for me to update. I am finding that all of my fics have run dry on ideas **

**However, in order to fix that, I am proposing that anyone who reads this can leave a request for me to write something for them.**

**It can be any topic and any rating. I can't promise that any will be more than 1000 words, but I think that this will help me get back into the swing of writing again.**

**By the way, I have been somehow subconsciously punishing myself for not updating. The last four nights I've had violent, painful dreams that have to do with Harry Potter. They've gotten worse, too. **

**The first night it was funny.**

**Today, I woke up and cried out because Greyback was chasing me and had caught me and bit me. **

**I can usually control my dreams, and I haven't been able to change a thing on these! It's ridiculously weird, and it's the first time in years where I haven't been able to end a nightmare just by thinking about waking up.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter!**

**Please review!**

**Thanks to all my old reviewers!**


	13. The First Step

The next morning, Regulus awoke from his rather uncomfortable position. He was lying on his stomach, face pressing into Sirius's overstuffed bed, and Sirius was nearly on top of him. He groaned as he maneuvered out from under his brother. Carefully, not wanting to disturb Sirius, he got out of the bed. It was early – he was most likely the first awake.

He twisted his neck, trying to work the kinks out of it before turning back to Sirius, who was sleeping quite soundly.

Yawning, his mouth wide enough to pop his jaw, he made his way to the kitchen. Kreacher greeted him with the normal,

"Little master!"

He smiled lightly at the House-Elf. Kreacher really was nice to talk to. He was very set in his ways, but the young elf really did have an interesting way of looking at things (though he often made it seem that the Black family was perfect.)

Regulus tried to tell him it wasn't, but Kreacher had tried to punish himself for even listening to such thoughts.

(bloody annoying elf.)

"Good morning, Kreacher."

"Do you need breakfast, little master?" Kreacher asked.

"Yes, thank you, Kreacher." Kreacher grinned slightly in appreciation for the thanks. It was rare for a house-elf to get any.

(he doesn't deserve it.)

Sitting at the table, Regulus waited for his breakfast. He didn't notice as his eyes dropped and then drifted shut.

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"Regulus!" a voice snapped. Regulus jerked awake, his eyes snapping open. At once he saw that he was slumped over the table. A nice meal was sat out before him, courtesy of Kreacher, of course. At least – it had been a nice meal. Now, it was quite cold.

He looked up and saw his father standing there. For a second, he had to quench the urge to flinch back, slightly afraid.

(he doesn't deserve my fear.)

"Yes, father?" he said quietly. He looked into his father's eyes, refusing to look away. It was a small victory for Regulus, but it felt good for him to be able to look his father in the eye.

"We're going somewhere today. I expect you and Sirius to be ready to leave within an hour."

Regulus's eyes widened.

"But – but father… Sirius isn't healed enough…"

"He'll be fine. I expect both of you to be ready." With that, Regulus's father turned and left the kitchen. Regulus bit his lip, thinking of Sirius. Although his brother seemed a lot better – and he was, but he still wasn't fully healed. Regulus couldn't make his brother get ready when it physically pained him.

(i shouldn't have to.)

Sighing, Regulus walked up the stairs to his room. He got ready quickly, knowing Sirius would move slowly but not having the heart to wake his healing brother until necessary.

After he was finished, he went into Sirius's room.

"Sirius," he whispered, shaking his brother's arm slightly. The movement brought back a strange memory of him waking Bellatrix in not the same manor but in a much crueler one that involved a bucket of water and laughter.

(that was funny.)

Regulus shook his head to clear his mind. He'd think about it later. Now, however, he had forty-five minutes to get Sirius dressed and ready to leave. Regulus scowled. Why did their father feel the need to take them somewhere? He'd more or less not talked to them for the past few days. Why couldn't it have stayed like that?

Sighing, Regulus shook Sirius even harder. He blinked open his eyes, blearily mumbling something under his breath.

"Regulus?" he managed to rasp.

"Sirius," Regulus said. He sent his brother a relieved smile; Sirius sounded even better now.

"Why'd you wake me up?" Sirius complained, trying to turn around and go back to sleep. Regulus wasn't sure if it was because he was still hurt or if he just didn't want to get up.

"Father's taking us somewhere. He wasn't both of us ready to leave in forty or so minutes."

"Bloody hell!" Sirius said. He sat up quickly, only to pause and wince as the movement caused a bright burst of pain to ricochet through his head.

Regulus winced with him, but then, collecting himself, he ignored his brother's reaction and continued to pull Sirius upright.

Groaning, Sirius stood. He took a few steps, wobbling slightly, and grabbed clothes out of his dresser. Then he moved slowly, one hand against his wall for support, into his bathroom. Regulus heard the shower start up and sat on Sirius's bed, waiting for him.

He really didn't think it was a good idea for Sirius to be standing on the slippery bathroom floor, but he knew Sirius had to get ready. Their father would be furious if they 'disobeyed' him like that.

Sighing once again (merlin, he sighs a lot,) he waited for Sirius to finish.

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Orion sat at the downstairs table, reading the Daily Prophet. It was a normal day, nothing exciting had really happened. He glanced at the grandfather clock (charmed to shoot bolts at any trespassers.) There was still thirty minutes until the boys had to be ready.

He wondered how Sirius was doing. Despite his aura of not realizing how injured his son really was, he did know that Sirius had been hurt badly. At first, it had been punishment, but now, however, it had grown into something more.

Orion needed his sons – especially Regulus – to trust him and believe him. Where he was taking them would play a huge part in believing him. He had had to get an international Portkey for the occasion. Of course, for a Black – or any other Most Noble and Ancient family – it wasn't that hard. There had been a few raised eyebrows but nothing too bad.

Still, though, Orion needed them to trust him. If something happened, and he was the 'hero' for helping Sirius, then they might. It was important that he looked like the good guy – which is why he dosed Walburga with a heavy sleeping potion the night before. She wouldn't ruin this for him.

He wouldn't let her.

It was extremely important that the Black family had at least one heir. It could be too late for Sirius – he was a Gryffindor, after all – but Regulus could make their family proud.

And Orion would make sure that happened.

Waiting in silence, not truly reading the newspaper, he waited only a few minutes before he heard a loud crash.

That was his cue.

Racing – literally running – up the stairs, he burst into Sirius's room. Regulus was standing in shock and flinched badly when the door slammed open.

"What happened?" Orion demanded, sounding the perfect mix of confused and concerned.

"I – I," Regulus stuttered. "Sirius!" He was staring straight at the bathroom. Orion pushed the door open and saw Sirius on the tile ground. There was a small pool of blood from a gash on his head.

He must have fell and hit his head after he had gotten dressed.

Orion knelt down beside his son, seeing Regulus come over from the corner of his eye.

He pulled out his wand.

"Don't hurt him!" Regulus gasped. Orion ignored his younger son, leaning down and shaking Sirius's shoulder.

"Sirius?" he whispered, trying to sound like a concerned parent. When Sirius didn't answer (as if Orion had expected him to,) he casted a few spells.

Regulus watched, in awe, as the gash healed.

"Fetch me a headache potion," Orion ordered. Regulus listened immediately, pulling one off of Sirius's nightstand.

Orion poured it into Sirius's mouth slowly, making sure he didn't choke. Then Orion stood, picking Sirius up with him.

"I think he'll be okay," Orion said, walking over and laying Sirius on his bed. The boy was already waking. It hadn't truly been a terrible fall.

Sirius just couldn't take it after the head trauma he'd already received.

Regulus stared at his father, open-mouthed. Orion resisted the urge to snap at him – that looked so unbecoming of a Black. Regulus shut his mouth, swallowed hard, and said,

"Thank you."

"You're welcome," Orion said. He smiled to himself. That had gone just as he thought it would. His son was alternating between a shocked expression and a grateful expression.

He'd crossed a line in Regulus's mind. Regulus now knew that he cared about them.

After all, the Black family needed an heir.

It was almost time to put the second part of his plan into action.

It was almost time to leave.

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**Hey guys! I hope you like this. The next chapter should be surprising **** Any guesses on where they're going?**

**So, my parents told me today that they're going to Hawaii… without me. Don't I feel special?**

**Please review!**

**Thanks to all my old reviewers! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.**


	14. Internal War

Regulus stared at his father. Shock flooded through him, and his breath burst out of him in a long gasp as it slithered don his spine. He felt cold and… unreal.

Their father cared about Sirius.

_(cares about having a heir.)_

Sirius had been hurt, and – and his father helped. That was insane and incomprehensible. After all, their father was the man who caused Sirius to get hurt.

Why was he helping him now?

It – it had to be a trick, right? Regulus bit his lip, trying to convince himself that it was. One glance at his father shattered the decision he'd reached.

Regulus's father looked concerned for his sons. He seemed to care about them. As Regulus stared, his father turned away from Sirius and towards him.

"I did not realize Sirius was so injured."

_(as if.)_

Regulus analyzed his father's voice. Orion Black seemed cold, as per usual, but there was also a hint of concern. He certainly wasn't apologizing but…

"He is," Regulus said quietly. It wasn't said angrily, but he worried that his father would get angry all the same. He felt his mouth once again drop open in shock as his father sighed.

"I did not mean for him to be so… incapacitated."

_(you probably meant to kill him.)_

"Of course not, father," Regulus muttered quietly. He wasn't quite sure what to think. After all, his father was the bad guy, and bad guys never changed. Regulus's father looked concerned and saddened by his son's reaction.

"You believe me, Regulus, right?"

_(like I'd believe anything you said.)_

Regulus shook the thought from his head. He didn't know what to believe. His mind seemed to be warring with himself. Those strange comments in the back of his mind were growing stronger. It was creepy to feel them become more… his.

He wanted to listen to them; they felt right.

What they said wasn't right, though.

And he refused to trust it.

"I do," Regulus said, sounding as if he had more conviction than he actually did. His father sent him a small smile, the corners of his lips barely seeming to twitch in his stern face. It was hardly anything.

But it was more than Regulus had ever seen before.

His father turned back to Sirius, gently shaking his shoulder to wake him. Regulus bit his lip as a question flashed across his mind. Then, thinking about his 'new'

_(deceiving.)_

father, he asked his question.

"Father? Do we still have to leave?" His father, not turning away from Sirius, paused for a moment.

"Yeah," he answered distractedly, sounding less formal than Regulus had ever heard him.

"And we have to leave on time?" Regulus asked. Again, his father paused.

"Yes, Regulus. Why?"

"We have five minutes," Regulus said.

"What?" his father said sharply. Glancing at the grandfather clock, he swore under his breath.

Regulus winced at the sound. He hadn't meant to.

_('course not, I'm brave.)_

With his father, however, the clear sound of anger was usually followed by something unpleasant.

Nothing followed it this time.

His father quickly but gently

_(gently my ass.)_

got Sirius out of bed. He pulled out his wand and casted another spell. There was a bright flash, and Regulus saw that Sirius seemed much more stable than before.

"F – father?" Sirius said, clearly quite confused.

"I apologize for injuring you, Sirius. It was not my intent to hurt you so badly."

_(you still wanted to. you still enjoyed it.)_

"O – okay…" Sirius said. He glanced at Regulus, who shrugged and mouthed

'_Go with it.'_

Sirius nodded.

"So…" Regulus said, dragging the word out. "Where are we going?"

"To catch a Portkey."

"And…" Sirius said, similarly dragging the word out. "Where will it take us?"

"Germany," their father said. Regulus scrunched his eyebrows. Why were they going there?

"Why?" he asked.

"You'll see," their father said. "Your mother would disapprove. So, she is not coming on this."

_(what doesn't she disapprove?)_

"Come with me," Orion said, taking them to the floo. He grabbed some of the powder on the mantel.

Their father held it up, ready to drop it, when he hesitated.

"Sirius will you be alright flooing alone?" Thunderstruck, Sirius nodded.

"Yes, father."

"International Port-Key Site," Orion said and disappeared into the flames. Sirius went next, repeating the words and disappearing into the flames.

Regulus stepped into the fireplace.

_(don't trust him! don't go!)_

His thoughts were screaming at him… almost as if they were a different person.

_(or a forgotten part of you.)_

Regulus jumped. His thoughts had just referred to himself without saying 'I.' That was a bit scary. Was he insane?

Sighing, he dropped the powder and, seconds later, was whirling away.

_(you shouldn't have done that.)_

Regulus emerged, coughing, from another fireplace. It was a small cabin, no doubt charmed to look as small as it did because Regulus could see no end to the line of fireplaces on one wall. His father and Sirius were waiting for him.

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Orion nearly smirked as his second son emerged from the fireplace. They trusted him. He would have expected that from the Gryffindor, but Regulus was an accomplishment. After all, the boy had nearly broken the most powerful memory charm he could create.

He should have been able to tell the truth from a lie. Orion would teach him, of course, when Regulus admitted how evil _(how dirty)_ muggles were.

Where they were going would take care of that.

He was taking both of his boys to a muggle place.

It was a place used only in the past. For five years, it was in use.

In those years, muggles killed nearly four million of their own kind there. It wasn't for something that mattered. Rather, it was for something they believed in.

If this didn't show his sons the truth, then they were already lost.

As Regulus joined him, he took them to a desk where a wizard sat. There was a box of Portkeys beside him.

"Black," Orion said curtly. The old wizard nodded and handed him a Portkey. It was an old hairbrush.

Orion took the brush and led his sons over to an area that they could use it.

"It's going to leave in a minute or so," the old wizard from the desk shouted.

Orion nodded. He watched as both of his sons put a finger on the Portkey, then he put his own on.

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_(what the hell are you doing?) _

The thoughts sounded more screechy than usual. If it was possible, it sounded as if they were annoyed with him.

_(he'll try to hurt you! it's a trap!)_

Regulus shook his head. It wasn't a trap. His father had helped Sirius. Surely, that meant his father cared?

_(fool! he doesn't care! you've fallen into his trap!)_

It isn't a tap, Regulus declared mentally. He would know.

_(you do know, fool!)_

Regulus bit his lip. Perhaps, he should listen to the voice.

_(your voice!)_

Regulus shook his head roughly.

It wasn't his voice because he trusted his father.

Not completely. After all, the man still hurt his brother

_(and you.)_

He'd hardly ever laid a hand on Regulus.

Perhaps, he had misunderstood his father.

(as if anyone could do that.)

He'd find out today.

Regulus felt a pull on his navel, and a scream of rage in his not-thoughts. They, no doubt, thought he was a fool.

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**Hey, guys! This has been a really quick update for me! Yay!**

**So, Regulus is at war with his old self. Everything can't go smoothly for him, can it?**

**I tried to make it sort of obvious where they're going. **

**Please review!**

**And thanks to all my old reviewers!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.**


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